CONFIDENTIAL
HM 307/
1.a.tumi
MDHIAN 637588
TOP COPY Q DIST?
022065
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1554
OF 050433Z NOVEMBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
87
HONG KONG TELNO 2627: SUNDAY TIMES ARTICLE
1.
THIS LOOKS LIKE A DELIBERATE PIECE OF COMMUNIST DISINFORMATION, DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE BRITISH SIDE IS
DIVIDED.
2. ON THE SUBSTANCE, I GAVE A RECEPTION FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE VARIOUS BRITISH TRADE MISSIONS THEN ASSEMBLING IN PEKING ON THE EVENING OF 25 OCTOBER (150 GUESTS IN ALL). THAT WAS FOLLOWED THE SAME EVENING BY A SMALL DINNER FOR THE LEADERS OF THE MISSIONS. THE GUESTS INCLUDED LORD PRIOR, THE MINISTER FOR TRADE MR NEEDHAM, SIR HUGH BIDWELL AND LORDS TREFGARNE AND MOORE. TWO MEMBERS OF MY STAFF, THE MINISTER AND COMMERCIAL COUNSELLOR, WERE PRESENT.
3. THERE WAS NO STRUCTURED DISCUSSION AT THE DINNER, WHICH WAS A RELAXED AFFAIR. CONVERSATION WAS MAINLY ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR BRITISH TRADE AND INVESTMENT, ABOUT WHICH I WAS UP-BEAT, TAKING THE LINE THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY DIFFERENCES OVER HONG KONG. I NEED HARDLY ADD THAT I SAID NOTHING, EITHER THEN OR ON ANY OTHER OCCASION WHICH COULD HAVE GIVEN RISE TO THE VERY SPECIFIC REPORT WHICH APPEARED IN THE SUNDAY TIMES.
THE ONLY OTHER OCCASION DURING LORD PRIOR'S VISIT WHEN I ENTERTAINED MEMBERS OF THE TRADE MISSION WAS AN INFORMAL LUNCH ON 27 OCTOBER, IMMEDIATELY BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE. SEVERAL PEKING-BASED BRITISH JOURNALISTS WERE PRESENT.
5. WE HAVE NOT SO FAR RECEIVED ANY ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE TA KUNG PAO REPORT (WHICH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO HAVE HAD BY FAX ON 4 NOVEMBER). IF ASKED, WE WILL DISMISS THE STORY AS NONSENSE, POINTING OUT THAT THE TA KUNG PAO IS NOT WELL KNOWN FOR ITS OBJECTIVITY.
MCLAREN
1
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL
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