From the Minister's Private Office
CONFIDENTIAL
Simon Gass Esq
PS/Secretary of State
Ei.
MAFF
+ pa
1. 22/10
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2HH
01-270 8709/8667
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Downing Street
London SW1A 2AH
M
Magh's
(41)
M Davies FED
Al PS
HKD $21/0
$26,
25/And Caniners
Puzij
Sir J. Coles
Di Bums
Heads HKD UND
NEWS
Satzina, tavizers
Cilantric
nix
21
October 1991
Dear himon,
I wrote to you on 7 October about my Minister's conversation with Vice Premier Wu Xueqian.
should
Mr Gummer met two Roman Catholic representatives, Rev.B.Beris ford and Mr Lawrie Breen, on 16 October to discuss which names be forwarded to the Chinese authorities. They gave the Minister a copy of their most up to date list, with names of Roman Catholic detainees as of 20 September. Although the public use of this list is embargoed until the end of October, Rev Berisford and Mr Breen saw no objection to Mr Gummer making use of it now
with the Chinese.
My Minister would like to write personally to the Chinese Agriculture Minister, whom Vice Premier Wu indicated was the appropriate channel of communication as Mr Gummer's counterpart. I attach a draft of the letter he would hope to send, together with the list of names provided by Rev Bensford and Mr Breen in abbreviated form.
I would be grateful for any comments by 24 October. A copy of this goes to Sir Robin McLaren: if you feel that this gives him too little time to respond, I wonder if you could arrange for the draft to be telegrammed or faxed out to him.
Ynes sinvely
Danid
т
David Rossington
Principal Frivate Secretary
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.