TNAG-2469-FCO40-3593-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-Hong-Kong-interests-1992 — Page 16

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY WASHINGTON

TELNO 9

OF 10020OZ DECEMBER 92

INFO PRIORITY FCO

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ра

151

152430

MDLIAN 1131

pa if not

already a file, MAR 09/2

REL

RY

-7 JAN 1992

PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR FROM GOVERNOR.

INDL

FCO PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD.

MY TELNO 8: MY VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES.

1. AS YOU KNOW, I AM THINKING OF PAYING A VISIT TO WASHINGTON AND OTHER U.S. CITIES IN MAY. I WOULD LIKE TO START DETAILED PLANNING FOR THIS AND WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY VIEWS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ON WHICH WEEKS IN THAT MONTH MIGHT BE BETTER OR LESS GOOD.

2. QUITE APART FROM THIS, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT WOULD ALSO BE WORTH TRYING TO FIT IN AN EARLIER VISIT, SO THAT I CAN TALK TO PRESIDENT CLINTON AND THE ADMINISTRATION BEFORE THEIR OWN VIEWS GET TOO SET IN CONCRETE. I AM PRETTY FLEXIBLE ON THE TIMING OF THIS, EXCEPT THAT I AM LIKELY TO BE IN THE UK BETWEEN 2-17 APRIL. OTHERWISE, I WOULD BE PREPARED TO MAKE WHATEVER CHANGES WERE NECESSARY TO MY DIARY IN ORDER TO FIT IN THIS MOST IMPORTANT

VISIT.

3. I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR ANY ADVICE THAT YOU CAN GIVE AT PRESENT ABOUT WHEN CLINTON IS MOST LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO SEE ME AND WHETHER THERE ARE ANY OTHER WAYS OF PLEADING MY CASE BEFORE HE IS INAUGURATED ON 20 JANUARY. IT IS CLEAR FROM HIS RECENT PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT HE IS PRETTY WELL BRIEFED ON HONG KONG AND THAT THE MFN ISSUE IS ON HIS MIND. IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF WE COULD

FOLLOW THIS UP.

PATTEN

YYYY

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