TNAG-2355-FCO40-3426-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1991 — Page 114

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM BTC HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 22093OZ FCO TELNO 103

OF 220815Z MARCH 91

HUD 026/9

013112

MDHIAN 9164

Q DIST? TOP COPY

FOR PAUL, HKD FROM HEAP

YOUR TELNO 71 : SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG

1. YOUR PARA 3. UNTIL THE VISIT IS ANNOUNCED IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO GET FAR IN INVITING GUESTS SO I CANNOT YET GIVE MUCH IDEA OF THE EVENTUAL GUEST LIST. I WILL SEEK TO INCLUDE THE BRITISH HEADS OF THE MAJOR COMPANIES OR HONG KONG/BRITISH COMPANIES SUCH AS JARDINES, SWIRES, HONG KONG BANK, INCHCAPE, CHINA LIGHT, THE RAILWAYS, HONG KONG ELECTRIC PLUS ONE OR TWO OTHERS. PERHAPS TWO OR THREE LEADING CHINESE BUSINESSMEN SUCH AS SIR Y K PAO, PETER WOO OR VINCENT LO. POSSIBLY PHILLIP CRAWLEY OF THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST OR JOHN ANDREW OF THE ECONOMIST (ELLIOT OF THE FT WILL BE AWAY), BUT IF SO STRICTLY ON THE BASIS OF NOT FOR WRITING, NOT EVEN UNATTRIBUTABLE OR BACKGROUND. THE ONLY POSSIBLE CANDIDATE SOMEWHAT OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF DIRECT BRITISH INTERESTS MIGHT BE RICHARD ALLEN, THE NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY. I DOUBT THAT ANY OF THESE REQUIRE ANY PARTICULAR SLANTS IN TERMS OF ADVANCE BRIEFING. I HOPE IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE, IF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APPROVES, TO HAVE A SLIGHTLY STRUCTURED DISCUSSION WITH EMPHASIS ON THE COMMERCIAL AND ECONOMIC SCENE HERE ALTHOUGH GIVEN THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL JUT HAVE COME FROM CHINA, THE POLITICAL ASPECTS OF THAT, AND PARTICULARLY THEIR RELEVANCE TO THE AIRPORT PROJECT, ARE BOUND TO BE OF INTEREST.

2. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW URGENTLY WHICH OF THE ACCOMPANYING PARTY WILL ATTEND SO THAT I MAY KNOW HOW MANY OTHER SPACES ARE AVAILABLE.

HEAP

YYYY

PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL