HKD 06/2
2 6 MAR 1993
SA
RESTRICTED
Secretary of State бесквам
2
From:
PS/Mr Goodlad
Date:
22 March 1993
CC:
PS/Ministers
PS/PUS
Sir J Coles
Mr Hum
Mr Ricketts/HKD
Private Secretary
WHITSUN RECESS: MINISTERIAL TRAVEL
1. The Minister believes it important that he try to visit Hong Kong during the Whitsun Recess. He proposes leaving the UK late on Friday, 28 May (arriving in Hong Kong late Saturday afternoon) and departing for the UK on the evening of Tuesday, 1 June (to arrive early the following morning in London). This schedule would ensure that there was no breakage in the cover arrangements (your and APS/Mr Hogg's minutes of 18 March refer).
2. Mr Goodlad wishes to maintain the past practice of about two visits per year to Hong Kong by the relevant Minister of State. Such visits need not be linked to any specific event: indeed the Minister has gone to some trouble to make clear to the Press that he will not have special announcements to make every time he visits Hong Kong. His last visit was in September 1992. The lack of any subsequent visit has already caused speculation in Hong Kong that his role has been changed in some way. There are therefore presentational and symbolic reasons for taking an early opportunity to re-visit (the Governor's visit here during the Easter Recess ruled that out as an option).
As
3.
Arriving at the weekend would enable the Minister to spend some time in informal discussion with the Governor. is usual, his weekday programme would include meetings with members of Legco and the business community; and attending a meeting of Exco on 1 June. Given that by then Legco could be in the middle of its debate on the Governor's constitutional proposals, this could be a particularly interesting time. Inevitably, the Minister would also be under pressure to meet
1 RESTRICTED
senior
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.