TNAG-2925-FCO40-4200-Visits-by-Ministers-and-officials-from-third-countries-to-Ho-1993 — Page 4

31-12-1993 13:48

BRITISH EMBASSY FAPLIS

22 62 31 42

P.01

118

UNCLASSIFIED FAX

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oanne Ayton

31 December 1993

PS/Governor

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31112

Ext:3220

Total Pages: 2

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RECEIVER 15

Government House Upper Albert Road Hong Kong

Fax No:8525260995

Per Pintar Senatory,

To note. Notion

VISIT TO HONG KONG BY JACQUES CHIRAC

1.

British Embassy

✔

Paris

35 rue du Faubourg St Honoré

75383 Paris cedex (8

HUD 026 T12

Telephone:(4)486641 42 Facsimile: (1) 42 66 95 90

4 JAN 1994

DESK OFFICES

INDEA

JISTRY

tonon Inkan

I was contacted today by Chirac's cabinet. Chirac will be transiting Hong Kong en route to and from Indo-China next month. On the outward leg on 7 January he is just passing through and his cabinet say that no assistance is required. On the return leg, however, Chirac proposes spending some time in Hong Kong. He arrives at Hong Kong airport at 17:00 on 15 January and will leave at 21:55 on 17 January. He will be staying at the Regent Hotel.

2. His cabinet had two specific requests. Chirac is keen to see the Governor and proposes inviting him to dinner at the Regent Hotel on the evening of 15 January. If this is not possible, he would like to make contact at some other point during his stay, preferably 17 January rather than 16 January, although the latter is possible.

3. The second request is for a visit to a boat people camp in Hong Kong. Chirac's cabinet said that this was of particular interest to him as he would be coming from Vietnam. Ideally he would like to have seen the governor before going to a camp in order to explain his reasons for doing so.

4. The cabinet also suggested that the visit might offer an opportunity for Chirac to meet Mrs Chan which he was unable to do during her recent visit here.

5.

There is no need for me to elaborate on Chirac's political standing. I understand that he and the governor know each other, not least, I suppose, from the governor's days as chairman of the Conservative Party: Chirac is president of the RPR. More generally, Chirac's visit falls very opportunely. In our telno 1195 to the FCO reporting Mrs Chan's visit, we recommended follow-up in order to maintain Hong Kong's profile in France. Chirac, unlike some other French politicians, has a healthy respect for the dynamic Asian economies. He has been travelling extensively in the Far East in recent months and his favourable impressions, notably of Japan, have had quite a ripple effect

ChiracHk.3112

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