TNAG-2715-FCO40-3921-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 183

DEUS

FAX TRANSMISSION

TO:

AT:

Mr John Morris

FCO/HKD

FAX NO:

002 44 71 270 3387

FROM:

C W Osborne

DATE:

16 August 1993

REF:

FAC Visit

Page 1 of 00" 5

10

British

Trade Commission

Hong Kong

9th Floor, Bank of America Tower, 12 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong

Mail Address: GPO Box No 528, Hong Kong

Telephone: 528 0176

Telex: HX 75031 (a/b 73031 UKTRA HX) Facsimile: (852) 845 2870

Cable Address: UK TRADE, Hong Kong

Ms Samide 1618

o feed X into its

ntity Msi

cond calling on the

(Mr in

tomorrows lunchtime).

Dear John

FAC VISIT: 16–19 OCTOBER 1993

6/7

دره امل

I attended a meeting recently with the Hong Kong Government to discuss the programme for the FAC. The draft before us was the one enclosed with this facsimile letter, though you may by now have received a more recently modified version which we have

not seen.

I made the obvious point at the meeting that the programme was hopelessly crowded and would need to run like clockwork if the schedule was to mean anything. All agreed this to be the case, though quite rightly, were reluctant to steer the FAC in any particular direction other than pointing out the practical difficulties of cramming in all their requests.

As often happens, the BTC were presented with something of a fait accompli on our involvement in the programme. We have provisionally agreed to Francis Cornish hosting a dinner on the evening of Sunday 17th October, though how easy it will be to get top people to spend their Sunday evening with the FAC remains to be seen. As there was no provision in the programme for the requested briefing by CTU, we have had to agree to try and slot that in at the Albany before the dinner on the Sunday, not ideal, but given the impossible tightness of the programme, the only practical solution.

No doubt Francis will be briefed on the visit before he leaves. Would you ask him about the dinner and seek his agreement to host it on the Sunday. We will then work up a guest list.

yours ever

Ohni

CW Osborne

Senior Information Officer

Every effort is funde to ensure that the information given herein is accurate, but no legal responsibility is accepted for any errors, omissions or misicading statements in that information exused by negligener ur otherwise and no responsibility is necepied in regard to the standing of any firma, companies or

individuals mentioned.