TNAG-2360-FCO40-3431-Visit-by-John-Major--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Hong-Kong--Septem-1991 — Page 118

CONFIDENTIAL

...HKD 026/13

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

1 AUG 1991

20

142173

MDHOAN 8135

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELNO 835

OF 3117OOZ JULY 91

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

A

INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG

HONG KONG : PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR

24

PEKING TELNO 1190: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG

1.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS EARLY CHINESE CONFIRMATION OF DATES.

THE FOLLOWING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE VISIT HAVE NOW BEEN AGREED BY

NO 10.

ITINERARY AND PARTY

2.

THE PRIME MINISTER HAS AGREED THAT HE SHOULD MAKE ONE STOP-OVER IN HONG KONG, ON RETURN FROM PEKING. THE CURRENT PLAN IS THAT THE PARTY WILL ARRIVE IN PEKING AT AROUND 1530 (LOCAL TIME) ON 2 SEPTEMBER, LEAVING 4 SEPTEMBER IN TIME TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG LATE PM (BUT SEE PARAGRAPH 6 BELOW).

3

THE PRIME MINISTER HAS AGREED THAT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD GO TO PEKING AND ATTEND THE SIGNATURE OF THE AIRPORT MOU BUT THAT HE NEED NOT ACCOMPANY THE PRIME MINISTER THROUGHOUT THE VISIT. WE ARE CONSIDERING POSSIBLE ATTENDANCE BY SENIOR JLG REPRESENTATIVES (UKREP JLG TELNO 371) AND WILL TELEGRAPH SEPARATELY. AN FCO OFFICIAL MAY ALSO BE PART OF THE PARTY, AGAIN WE SHALL TELEGRAPH DETAILS SEPARATELY.

4.

NOW THAT ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE VISIT ARE CONFIRMED, WE NEED TO RESPOND TO THE CHINESE PROPOSAL FOR A VISIT TO THE UNITED KINGDOM BY QIAN QICHEN. IN SPEAKING TO THE CHINESE YOU SHOULD SAY:

-

THAT WE SHOULD WELCOME QIAN TO LONDON

BUT AS THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WILL BE VISITING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER A VISIT BY QIAN TO LONDON SO SOON AFTERWARDS DOES NOT MAKE MUCH SENSE

THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WILL SEE QIAN AGAIN AT UNGA

QIAN WOULD BE VERY WELCOME TO VISIT BRITAIN SIX MONTHS LATER, IN SAY, MARCH.