TNAG-2617-FCO40-3808-Visit-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-C-1992 — Page 53

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TELNO 420

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YOUR TELNO 186: LORD CAITHNESS'S VISIT TO HONG KONG.

1. OUR COMMENTS ON THE POINTS IN TUR ARE AS FOLLOWS:

(A) THE MTRC BRIEFING WILL, AS REQUESTED, BE ON THE AIRPORT LINK.

(B) WILLIAM LAU WILL BE INVITED TO PETER HEAP'S LUNCH ON 6 MARCH.

(C) ON RECEIPT OF TELNO 144, WHICH GAVE THE GO-AHEAD FOR THE

ORIGINAL PROGRAMME, WE ISSUED INVITATIONS TO SEVEN BANKERS AND THE CHAIRMEN OF THE STOCK AND FUTURES EXCHANGES. WE THEN INFORMED THEM OF THE CHANGE OF DATE WHEN THE MINISTER'S VISIT WAS POSTPONED. WE COULD, OF COURSE, INCLUDE MORE NON-BANKING GUESTS FROM THE FINANCIAL COMMUNITY, BUT THIS WOULD MEAN ONE MORE TABLE. GRATEFUL TO KNOW IF LORD CAITHNESS WOULD LIKE US TO DO THIS.

(D) MY TAILOR, AH MAN HING CHEONG, CAN BE CALLED UP TO

GOVERNMENT HOUSE AT SHORT NOTICE. WE COULD OF COURSE FIX A DEFINITE TIME FOR THIS NOW IF THE MINISTER WISHES.

(E) WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH ANNA SOHMEN. UNFORTUNATELY

SHE ALREADY HAS AN ENGAGEMENT ON THE SUNDAY EVENING. AS HELMUT SOHMEN WILL BE OUT OF HONG KONG UNTIL 5 MARCH, ANNA SOHMEN HAS ASKED IF LORD CAITHNESS COULD HAVE

DINNER WITH THEM ON 5 OR 6 MARCH OR LUNCH ON 6 OR 7 MARCH. WE HAVE EXPLAINED TO HER THAT HE IS NOT/NOT FREE TO TAKE UP ANY OF THESE.

2. GRATEFUL TO KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHEN YOU PROPOSE FORMALLY TO ANNOUNCE THE VISIT.

WILSON

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