TNAG-2353-FCO40-3423-Visits-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and--1991 — Page 229

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FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 08123OZ FCO

TELNO 3530

OF 081115Z NOVEMBER 91

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HKD 026

£26/1.

↑ 1 NOV '991

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG SAVING ROUTINE SHANGHAI

225

YOUR TELNO 1315: VISIT BY LORD CAITHNESS.

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146566 MDHIAN 1154

WE HAVE MADE ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR A VISIT BY LORD CAITHNESS ON 4 DECEMBER. BUT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE, WITHOUT GREAT DIFFICULTY, TO RE-ARRANGE THE EXCO LUNCH AND THE PROPOSED AFTERNOON PROGRAMME TO TAKE PLACE ON 6 DECEMBER INSTEAD.

2.

THE MAIN PROBLEM ARISES FROM MY OWN EXISTING COMMITMENTS, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO FIT IN THE SORT OF MEETING I WOULD HOPE TO HAVE WITH LORD CAITHNESS. I HAVE TO GO TO THE FINNISH NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION AT 12.30 PM ON 6 DECEMBER (I.E. AT

THE TIME SCHEDULED FOR MY MEETING WITH LORD CAITHNESS ON 4 DECEMBER). FOR MOST OF THE AFTERNOON I SHALL BE OFFICIATING IN FULL UNIFORM AT A PARADE TO CELEBRATE AT THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, WHERE I HAVE AGREED TO MAKE A SPEECH. WITH VERY LITTLE TIME AFTER I GET BACK TO CHANGE AND DEAL WITH ALL THE USUAL TELEGRAMS, I THEN HAVE A GOVERNMENT HOUSE DINNER FOR THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF KENT.

3.

THE SITUATION IS NO BETTER ON 7 DECEMBER. I SHALL BE ACCOMPANYING THE DUKE OF KENT TO A CEREMONY AT SAI WAN CEMETERY COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE FOR HONG KONG, AND GOING IMMEDIATELY ON TO A TREE PLANTING CEREMONY WHICH IS PART OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGN. THESE TWO EVENTS EFFECTIVELY KNOCK ME OUT ALL MORNING.

4. SCENARIO B (I.E. TRANSIT THROUGH HONG KONG ON 4 DECEMBER) WOULD THEREFORE BE MORE CONVENIENT FOR ME. BUT IF, FOR OTHER REASONS, A DECISION IS TAKE TO GO FOR SCENARIO A (6-7 DECEMBER), THEN WE WILL OF COURSE DO OUR BEST TO ARRANGE AN INTERESTING PROGRAMME FOR LORD CAITHNESS, AND TO FIT IN A MEETING WITH ME SOMEWHERE. THE ONLY POSSIBILITY SEEMS TO BE ON THE AFTERNOON OR EVENING OF SATURDAY 7 DECEMBER. WE COULD PERHAPS COMBINE A MEETING WITH A TRIP ON THE LADY MAURINE.

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