TNAG-2799-FCO40-4039-Hong-Kong-six-monthly-meetings-of-foreign-ministers-1993 — Page 48

SECRET

021/1

RECEIVED IN RECISTRY

2 JUL 1993

SECRET

FM FCO

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

TO DESKBY 020030Z PEKING

TELNO 411

OF 011812Z JULY 93

TOP COPY

INFO DESKBY 02003OZ HONG KONG, JLG HONG KONG

(68

024423

MDHOAN 5013

FOR CHARGE FROM HUM, AUSS

HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR DINHAM, GOVERNMENT HOUSE

-NIR

6

meeting

FCO TELNO 410: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO PEKING

1.

I have now discussed TUR with Sir R McLaren. He asked if you could bear two practical points in mind in carrying out the instructions which it contains:

(a)

If the Chinese suggest that the Secretary of State should stay at the Diaoyutai, please decline politely, perhaps on the ground that it would be administratively simpler for the Secretary of State to be based at the Residence for such a short stay. The Private Secretary confirms that this would be the Secretary of State's preference.

(b)

We are conscious that the timing on the evening of 8 July will be tight, especially given the Chinese propensity for dining early. We believe that the Chinese will expect to host any dinner. But a little time could be saved if the dinner took place not at the Daioyutai but on the same side of town as the Embassy. A further possibility is that the Chinese could offer Lunch on 9 July instead. This would be a less effective use of time, and could threaten the visit to the Forbidden City. So please do not volunteer this option, but undertake to report.

2.

Finally we have one gloss on the points to make in para 2 of TUR (which has been agreed with the Private Secretary). We do not want the Chinese to dig their heels in over agreeing to an early announcement in retaliation for our implying that the leak came from the Chinese side. In pressing for an early Chinese response you could instead lay emphasis on the need to begin making all the necessary arrangements for the visit. You should certainly retain the point that the leak has led to speculation and increased pressure for an early announcement, as in the terms of the final tiret: but this could be made at a later point in the discussion

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