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147737
MDHOAN 8582
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HKD 026/16
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FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG IND
TELNO 111
OF 091523Z FEB 93
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING, BTC HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, TOKYO
12 FEE 1993
Ки
TOP COPY Q DIST?
VISIT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE FAR EAST.
·
1 The Secretary of State intends to announce his forthcoming visit to Japan when he answers a parliamentary Question on 10 February. This may provoke some interest in whether he will also be visiting Hong Kong and/or discussing Hong Kong with his Chinese counterpart.
2. We have recommended the following supplementaries for use in the House if necessary, and fuller line for use by News Dept and as guidance for you in fielding any enquiries you may receive.
SUPPLEMENTARIES
Will you go to Peking for negotiations on Hong Kong?
- I stand by the commitment in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by my rt hon friend the Prime Minister in September 1991 that I should meet my Chinese counterpart twice yearly.
- But it will only be sensible to arrange a meeting when there are good prospects that it will be useful. Too early to judge when the right timing will be. The Chinese side have still not responded to our offer to hold discussions with them on Hong Kong's electoral arrangements.
Will you visit Hong Kong?
- I attach importance to regular visits to Hong Kong. But the programme for this visit likely to be crowded, and I doubt that it will be the right time to visit Hong Kong, not least because the Governor plans to be in this country at the time.
3. News Department Line to Take
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