TNAG-2924-FCO40-4199-Visits-by-Ministers-and-officials-from-third-countries-to-Ho-1993 — Page 41

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CONFIDENTIAL

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 905

OF 04045OZ JUNE 93

INFO IMMEDIATE PRAGUE

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, SEOUL, SINGAPORE

AMENDED DISTRIBUTION

HKD 026/10

09 JUN 1993

JISTRY

FOR HKD FROM QSP/GH

(68) ७४

FCO TELNO 537 PROPOSED VISIT BY CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER TO CHINA, KOREA, HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE, 17-30 JUNE

1. AS YOU RIGHTLY POINTED OUT TO THE CZECH EMBASSY, OUR STATUS PREVENTS US FROM RECEIVING ''OFFICIAL VISITS IN THE STANDARD BILATERAL SENSE. OUR RULE IN PRACTICE IS NEVER TO DESCRIBE VISITS AS ''OFFICIAL'', AND NEVER TO PAY LOCAL COSTS. ANY EROSION OF THIS WOULD SET AN UNWELCOME PRECEDENT. WE THEREFORE CANNOT MEET THE COST OF HOTEL ACCOMMODATION FOR THE FOREIGN MINISTER AND HIS PARTY, OR INDEED ANY OTHER COSTS SUCH AS TRANSPORT AND MEALS.

2.

BUT WE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO ARRANGE A PROGRAMME FOR THE FOREIGN MINISTER. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH TIME HE WILL HAVE HERE, THIS COULD INCLUDE:

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CALLS ON THE GOVERNOR AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER (ALREADY PENCILLED IN FOR THE AFTERNOON OF MONDAY 28 JUNE):

A CALL ON SECRETARY FOR SECURITY (TO DISCUSS HONG KONG'S VISA POLICY):

- A CALL ON SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY (TO DISCUSS

CZECH/HONG KONG TRADE RELATIONS):

A CALL ON THE DIRECTOR OF PROTOCOL (TO DISCUSS THE

APPOINTMENT OF A CZECH CONSUL-GENERAL):

AND, POSSIBLY, A VISIT TO A NEW TOWN AND A HELICOPTER TOUR OF

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