TNAG-2355-FCO40-3426-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1991 — Page 121

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HKD 826,

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le please;

42

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MDHOAN 0264

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FM FCO

TO DESKBY 22010OZ PEKING

TELNO 248

OF 21180OZ MARCH 91

INFO IMMEDIATE MOSCOW, HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG

MOSCOW FOR SECRETARY OF STATE'S PARTY

FROM BURNS, AUSS

YOUR TELNO 347 : SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG

THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS NOW GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG AND PEKING TO BE MADE AS SOON AS WE JUDGE APPROPRIATE.

2. YOU SHOULD NOW THEREFORE CONFIRM WITH THE CHINESE THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE IN LONDON AT 123OZ ON MONDAY,

25 MARCH, IN THE TERMS OF MIFT. WE THINK IT BEST TO AVOID THE FURTHER CONFUSION WHICH MIGHT BE CAUSED BY BRINGING FORWARD THE DATE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT, GIVEN THAT OUR PROFESSED SECURITY CONCERNS ARE WHOLLY REASONABLE. BUT FORMAL NOTIFICATION TO THE MFA SHOULD MEET THE CONSIDERATIONS SET OUT IN PARAGRAPHS 4 AND 5 OF YOUR TUR AND IN HONG KONG TELNO 887. BOTH YOU AND HONG KONG SHOULD MEANWHILE FIRMLY REBUT ANY PRESS SPECULATION THAT THE APPARENT DELAY IN MAKING A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT REFLECTS EITHER ANY DISPUTE WITH CHINA OR DOUBT ABOUT THE VISIT.

3.LORD CAITHNESS HAS APPROVED THESE TELEGRAMS.

HURD

YYYY

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