CONFIDENTIAL
126132
MDHIAN 6886
OUR USUAL PREFERENCE WAS FOR A SHORT STATEMENT GIVING DATES AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE PARTY. WE AGREED TO KEEP IN TOUCH.
5.
ON THE WAY OUT SONG ASKED WHAT SUBJECTS WOULD BE DISCUSSED DURING THE VISIT. I SAID I HAD NO INSTRUCTIONS AT THIS STAGE BUT ON A PERSONAL BASIS WOULD EXPECT THE VISIT TO INCLUDE DISCUSSION OF BILATERAL ISSUES (INCLUDING HONG KONG) AND INTERNATIONAL QUESTIONS, IN ADDITION TO THE SIGNATURE OF THE MOU ON THE NEW HONG KONG AIRPORT. WHEN SONG PRESSED FURTHER I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY, ON A PURELY PERSONAL BASIS, TO LEAVE THE THOUGHT THAT REACTION TO THE VISIT WOULD BE MORE POSITIVE IF PROGRESS COULD BE MADE ON
OTHER HONG KONG ISSUES. THE PRIME MINISTER WOULD NOT OF COURSE WISH TO BECOME INVOLVED IN DETAILED DISCUSSION BUT IT WOULD STILL HELP IF, BEFORE OR DURING HIS VISIT, OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS, E.G. ON ASAS AND COURT OF FINAL APPEAL COULD BE RESOLVED. THE SITE OF
THE BRITISH CONSULATE-GENERAL IN HONG KONG WAS A MAJOR QUESTION
STILL OUTSTANDING.
6. I ENCOURAGED SONG TO GIVE THE SPEEDIEST REPLY POSSIBLE ON TIMING. I ALSO MENTIONED THE LIKELIHOOD OF A BRIEF MEETING BETWEEEN THE AMBASSADOR AND LI PENG AT THE SHELL SIGNING CEREMONY ON 27 JULY. THE MFA WERE UNSIGHTED AND THEREFORE GRATEFUL.
COATES.
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
72
LIMITED
FED
HKD
NEWS D
PROTOCOL D
PUSD
ADDITIONAL
1
SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10.
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
73
RAD
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/PUS
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
PAGE 2 CONFIDENTIAL
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