CONFIDENTIAL
19027
1
CONSIDER WHEN TO APPROACH THE CHINESE. WE THINK THERE MAY WELL BE SOME RELUCTANCE ON THEIR PART TO OFFER A SHORT VISIT TO LONDON IN CASE IT SHOULD PUT OUT OF JOINT THE NOSES OF OTHER MAJOR WEST
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. IF THEREFORE WE WERE NOT TO RISK A POLITE BRUSH-OFF WITHOUT MUCH CONSIDERATION BEING GIVEN ON THE CHINESE SIDE TO THE PROPOSAL WE SHOULD NEED TO INDICATE TO THE CHINESE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAD SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS WITH WU. CLEARLY ONCE WE DID THIS WE WOULD HAVE TO TELL THEM WHAT IT WAS. OUR OWN FEELING IS THAT IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO DO THIS TOO EARLY. THIS MIGHT INDICATE, ASSUMING THAT WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD, AN APPROACH TO THE CHINESE TOWARDS THE END OF MARCH OR IN EARLY APRIL. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS AND FOR THOSE OF THE
AMBASSADOR.
4.
ONE DANGER IN THIS COURSE IS THAT IF THE WU MEETING CANNOT BE MADE TO WORK, THE CHINESE WILL OFFER SOMETHING LESS DESIRABLE, EG A MEETING WITH ZHOU NAN, PERHAPS DURING HU
YAOBANG'S VISIT. IF THIS HAPPENED WE SHOULD PRESUMABLY HAVE TO
FALL BACK ON A MESSAGE TO WU.
HOWE
LIMITED
HKD
FED
PS
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
MR WILSON
SIR W HARDING
2
CONFIDENTIAL