TNAG-2785-FCO40-4004-Hong-Kong-UK-Parliamentary-and-other-interest-in-constitutio-1993 — Page 34

CONFIDENTIAL

3.

I understood from the Minister of State this

morning that Lord Prior had told Mr Goodlad that he would

be visiting Peking in mid April. He would clearly also be

a possible candidate to carry a message.

4.

Subject to Ministers views, I could ring

Lord Young on Monday to say:

either:-

that Ministers were grateful for his offer,

would bear it in mind but did not see scope

for a emissary at present.

or:

5.

as in the preceding paragraph but adding

that he could tell Ambassador Ma that

following his dinner he had been in touch

with HMG and could assure him that the

British Government also wished to establish

talks with China, as the Secretary of State

and others had made clear publicly.

I should be grateful for guidance.

Ale Woles.

Sir John Coles

CONFIDENTIAL