GRS 520
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 909
OF 290OO9Z MAY 86
AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 3015
CONFIDENTIAL
SECOND AMENDED DISTRIBUTTON 4 JUNE 1986
HKK 02612
RECEIVEL REGISTRY
12 JUN 1986
DE
TRY
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
INDEX
PA
Acuun Taken
Ajs 12/6
RA
{
{
MY TELNO.841 AND YOUR TELNO.473 (NOT TO HONG KONG):
HU YAODANG.
THE MEETING BETWEEN HU YAORANG AND THE FOUR AMBASSADORS YESTERDAY
EVENING WAS IN THE ROOM IN THE ZHONGYANHAI IN WHICH HE MET THE
PRIME MINISTER IN DECEMBER 1984. AFTER INTRODUCING THE MEMBERS OF
HIS PARTY, AND THANKING THE AMBASSADORS FOR THE ARRANGEMENTS MADE
FOR HIS TOUR, HU INVITED THE LATTER TO SPEAK. WE EACH SPOKE FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES (THE FRENCHMAN FIRST), SAYING HOW OUR GOVERNMENTS
AND PEOPLES WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO HU'S VISIT AND GIVING CUR
ASSESSMENT OF RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES AND CHINA.
NOTHING REMARKABLE WAS SAID EXCEPT BY THE ITALIAN, WHO ASKED FOR
CHINA TO RECONSIDER HER RELATIONS WITH THE VATICAN.
11
HE SAID
THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND
THE VATICAN WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE ISOLATION OF TAIWAN 11 AND
CAUSE 7 OR 8 COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICAN TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS TOO. THIS CLEARLY IRRITATED HU.
?
2. AT THE DINNER AFTERWARDS, HU AND THE MEMBERS OF HIS PARTY WERE
RANGED ON ONE SIDE OF A LONG TABLE AND THE FOUR AMBASSADORS, WITH
A FEW FAIRLY JUNIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS, ON THE OTHER. THE DINNER
WAS IN WESTERN STYLE (EXCEPT THAT BEER WAS OFFERED AS AN ALTERNATIVE
TO ALL KINDS OF WINE, INCLUDING CHAMPAGNE). THE CONVERSATION WAS
GENERAL THROUGHOUT. IT CHIEFLY CONCERNED TERRORISM AND CIVIL
NUCLEAR POWER.
3. ON TERRORISM, HU SAID THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WAS TALKING
THE PROBLEM VERY SERIOUSLY. BUT IT HAD NEVER RESORTED TO TERRORISM
ITSELF, NOR HAD THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY BEFORE IT HAD ACHIEVED STATE POWER. THE ROOTS OF TERRORISM LAY IN SOCIAL CONDITIONS. IT
FOLLOWED THAT POLICE METHODS'' ALONE WOULD NEVER BE ADEQUATE
TO ELIMINATE TERRORISM.
4. ON NUCLEAR POWER, HU SAID THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WAS GIVING FAVOURABLE CONSIDERATION TO KOHL'S RECENT INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE
IN A CONFERENCE ON SAFETY. LI PENG SAID THAT CHINA'S CIVIL NUCLEAR
PROGRAMME WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY CHERNOBYL. HE HAD JUST VISITED
DAYA BAY. WORK WAS GOING FORWARD ACCORDING TO PLAN. HE WOULD RE
INTERESTED IN MY ASSESSMENT OF SENTIMENT IN THE UK AND HONG KONG IN
THE AFTERMATH OF CHERNOBYL.
| CONFIDENTIAL
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