TNAG-2508-FCO40-3655-Visit-by-Sir-Edward-Heath--former-UK-Prime-Minister--to-Chin-1992 — Page 63

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INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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150556 MDLOAN 4434

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VISIT OF SIR EDWARD HEATH TO PEKING: SEPTEMBER 1992

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WE HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING WHETHER WE MIGHT TRY TO USE SIR EDWARD HEATH'S VISIT TO PEKING IN LATE SEPTEMBER TO CREATE AS FAVOURABLE A CLIMATE THERE AS POSSIBLE FOR YOUR STRATEGY ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. AS AN OLD FRIEND OF CHINA' HE WILL HAVE TOP-LEVEL ACCESS.

2.

WE ARE AWARE THAT SIR EDWARD WILL BE STAYING WITH YOU IN HONG KONG ON HIS WAY TO PEKING, SO YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK THINGS THROUGH WITH HIM. MINISTERS HERE MAY ALSO THINK THAT THEY SHOULD OFFER HIM A BRIEFING BEFORE HE LEAVES LONDON. IN ANY CASE WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ON WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST HELPFUL LINE HE COULD TAKE WITH THE CHINESE.

3. OUR INITIAL THINKING HERE IS THAT HE SHOULD NOT/NOT BE TASKED WITH ANY SPECIFIC MESSAGE OR WITH A MISSION OF 'REASSURANCE' BUT THAT WE MIGHT ENCOURAGE HIM TO EMPHASIZE TO THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU ARE SOMEONE THAT THEY SHOULD TAKE AT YOUR WORD, AND WITH WHOM THEY SHOULD ENGAGE IN FRANK, FREQUENT AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE.

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CONFIDENTIAL