TNAG-2353-FCO40-3423-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1991 — Page 214

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2371

461242

MDHIAN 1662

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FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 3575

OF 12104OZ NOVEMBER 91

HKD 026/1

UP COPY Q DIST?

Cc

For the this copy (5 HK)

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

CORRECTED VERSION

YOUR TELNO 1321 TO PEKING: VISIT OF LORD CAITHNESS

1.

WE ARE RE-ARRANGING THE EXCO LUNCH AND AFTERNOON PROGRAMME FROM 4 TO 6 DECEMBER. NOW THAT LORD CAITHNESS WILL BE HERE ON A FRIDAY RATHER THAN WEDNESDAY, WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE, THE QUESTION ARISES OF WHETHER HE SHOULD HAVE A SEPARATE MEETING WITH OMELCO. I RECOMMEND THAT HE SHOULD. IT COULD TAKE PLACE IN THE SLOT THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY LEFT FREE FOR A MEETING WITH THE PRESS, AND COULD TAKE THE FORM EITHER OF AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION OVER TEA OR A SIT-DOWN MEETING. BUT I ADVISE FINDING SOME TIME TO TALK TO THE PRESS, FOR EXAMPLE IN THE AFTERNOON OF 7 DECEMBER AFTER RETURNING FROM MACAU (SEE PARA 4 BELOW).

2.

AS REQUESTED, CS AND PA WILL BE AVAILABLE TO BRIEF LORD CAITHNESS AT 12.30 PM ON 6 DECEMBER. I SUGGEST THAT THIS SHOULD TAKE PLACE AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE. I AM VERY SORRY NOT TO BE ABLE TO DO IT MYSELF. I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GREET THE MINISTER ON HIS ARRIVAL BEFORE I HAVE TO LEAVE FOR MY NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION.

3. UNLESS OTHERWISE ADVISED, WE WILL ASSUME THAT RICKETTS RATHER THAN DAVIES WILL ACCOMPANY LORD CAITHNESS FOR ALL ITEMS OF THE PROGRAMME ON 6 DECEMBER.

4. I SEE NO OBJECTION TO LORD AND LADY CAITHNESS VISITING MACAU ON 7 DECEMBER. IT IS INTERESTING IN ITS OWN RIGHT, AND A FASCINATING CONTRAST TO HONG KONG. I ASSUME THAT IT WOULD BE FOR BTC TO ARRANGE THIS. NORMALLY WE WOULD PRESS FOR THE MINISTER TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE IN HONG KONG: BUT MISSING A SATURDAY MORNING OF ACTIVITIES ON WHAT WILL ESSENTIALLY BE A STOP- OVER VISIT SHOULD NOT CAUSE TOO MUCH OF A PROBLEM.

5. MIFT CONTAINS A REVISED OUTLINE PROGRAMME. GRATEFUL FOR ANY COMMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IN PARTICULAR, WOULD LADY CAITHNESS WISH TO ACCOMPANY THE MINISTER TO GREEN ISLAND AND STONECUTTERS

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