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FM UKMIS NEW YORK 05011OZ OCT 82
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1577 OF 4 OCTOBER
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, ROUTINE WASHINGTON.
-WR
FALKLANDS AT UNGA 37: GENERAL DEBATE. STATEMENT BY CHINESE
FOREIGN MINISTER.
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1. HUANG HUA ADDRESSED THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TODAY (4 OCTOBER). HE INCLUDED IN HIS STATEMENT REMARKS ABOUT THE FALKLANDS WHICH PROBABLY WENT FURTHER IN SUPPORTING THE ARGENTINE CASE AND CONDEMNING THE UK
THAN ANY OTHER SPEAKER SO FAR (EXCEPT ARGENTINA).
2. IN AN EARLY SECTION ON MAINTAINING INTERNATIONAL SECURITY HUANG
HUA STATED THAT EVEN THE QUOTE HITHERTO RELATIVELY CALM SOUTH
ATLANTIC HAD WITNESSED A WAR OF THE STRONG BULLYING THE WEAK
UNQUOTE. IN THE NEXT SECTION HEADED QUOTE THE QUESTION OF SAFEGUARD-
ING THE INDEPENDENCE AND THE RIGHT TO EXISTENCE OF STATES UNQUOTE,
HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE QUESTION OF THE MALVINAS WAS A REMINDER
THAT ALTHOUGH THE CAUSE OF NATIONAL LIBERATION HAD WON GREAT VICTOR-
IES IN THE POST-WAR PERIOD, THE PROCESS VICTORIES IN THE POST-WAR
PERIOD, THE PRCESS OF DECOLONISATION HAD NOT YET BEEN COMPLETED.
CHINA SUPPORTED THE REQUEST OF ARGENTINA AND OTHER LATIN AMERICAN
COUNTRIES FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE QUESTION AT UNGA 37. ARGENTINA'S
CLAIM TO SOVEREIGNTY SHOULD BE RESPECTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUN-
ITY, AND CHINA TOGETHER WITH OTHER THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES HOPED THE
PARTIES WOULD SEEK A JUST AND REASONABLE SOLUTION BY PEACEFUL
NEGOTIATIONS.
3. THE LATTER PASSAGE DID NOT GO SIGNIFICANTLY BEYOND THE CHINESE
STATEMENT IN THE COMMITTEE OF 24 IN AUGUST, THOUGH IT DID SPELL OUT MORE CLEARLY CHINA'S SUPPORT FOR THE ARGENTINE SOVEREIGNTY
CLAIM. BUT THE EARLIER PASSAGE IS OFFENSIVE AND UNACCEPTABLE.
4. I HAVE REMONSTRATED WITH MY CHINESE COLLEAGUE, CHALLENGING HIM TO EXPLAIN HOW CHINA, WITH ITS RENOWNED ATTACHMENT TO NON-ALIGNED PRINCIPLES, COULD CALL IN QUESTION THE RIGHT OF THE FALKLANDERS TO SELF-DETERMINATION. LING QING HAD NO ANSWER. YOU MAY WISH TO
CONSIDER WHETHER WE SHOULD ALSO INDICATE OUR DISPLEASURE IN PEKING.
I REALISE THAT THERE WILL BE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS TO BE TAKEN INTO
ACCOUNT. BUT AS SEEN FROM HERE IT WOULD BE AS WELL TO SHOW THE
CHINESE THAT WE WILL NOT TAKE THIS SORT OF THING LYING DOWN. AND WE
COULD TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AGAIN TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND
THE REALITIES OF THE FALKLANDS ISSUE AND THAT OUR POSITION ENJOYS
MUCH SYMPATHY AMONG THE NON-ALIGNED. THOMSON
[COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING STREET] FALKLAND ISLANDS GENERAL
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
FALKLAND ISLANDS
see (11)
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