HKO
RECEIVED
1 € APR 1987
PA
TRY
Taken
Amer
23/4
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
OCMIAN 8759
CONFIDENTIAL
PP PEKIN
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
130930Z APR
GRS 252
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 1078
OF 130930Z APRIL 87
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
48759
-
YOUR TELNOS 1428 AND 1447 AND PEKING TELNO 617: TAIWAN FILMS
1.
WE HAVE CONSULTED MINISTERS ON THE DIFFICULT ISSUE RAISED
IN TURS.
2.
THEY FEEL THAT ON BALANCE IT WOULD BE UNWISE FOR YOU TO
REVERSE NOW THE EARLIER DECISIONS ON QUOTE THE COLDEST WINTER IN
PEKING UNQUOTE AND QUOTE IF I WERE FOR REAL UNQUOTE. WE DO NOT
THINK THE CHINESE COULD BE BROUGHT TO UNDERSTAND OUR REASONS FOR
DOING SO, AND WE FULLY SHARE YOUR DOUBTS ABOUT SEEKING TO CONSULT
THEM IN ADVANCE. WE WOULD EXPECT THE CHINESE REACTION TO BE JUST
AS STRONG AS IT WAS OVER QUOTE COLDEST WINTER UNQUOTE IN 1981.
DISAGREEMENT OVER THIS ISSUE COULD GREATLY COMPLICATE THE
DELICATE DIALOGUE WE SHALL NEED TO HAVE WITH THEM OVER OTHER HONG
KONG ISSUES IN THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR. ALTHOUGH THIS IS
PRIMARILY A MATTER FOR YOUR JUDGEMENT, WE WONDER WHETHER HONG
KONG PEOPLE IN GENERAL WOULD WELCOME THE SHOWING NOW OF FILMS
WHICH COULD STIR UP LOCAL POLITICAL RIVALRIES AND GIVE RISE TO
PROTESTS FROM PEKING.
3.
WE THEREFORE BELIEVE THAT IN GENERAL YOU WOULD BE RIGHT
TO MAINTAIN YOUR EARLIER DECISIONS ON THESE AND OTHER FILMS
BANNED FOR POLITICAL REASONS. IF YOU SEE A NEED TO REVERSE YOUR
EARLIER DECISION IN ANY PARTICULAR CASE, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO
1
CONFIDENTIAL
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