HKB 020/14
From the Private Secretary
سط
Du Strok
SECRET
ET MON
10 DOWNING STREET
LONDON SW1A 2AA
куль
Mno Marsden
Mr Wooden Mi
Mr Footman N116/6/6
Head FED (35
GPS
15/ Land Dematten
PS/M Affor
PSYPUS
5 June 1989
おか
FJ Fretwell
le Athmas
Mr. Machonen
CHINA
икак
Hed
Hал нио
Head Neuskept
President Bush telephoned the Prime Minister this afternoon about the situation in China. The conversation
began with the President thanking the Prime Minister for his Head MAD
marvellous visit to the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister congratulated the President on the overall success of his European tour.
The President then said that he was very concerned about the situation in China. He welcomed the statement which the Prime Minister had issued. He himself had just issued a further statement. It was quite restrained and would not keep his critics, particularly those on the right, happy. The statement deplored the use of violence and said that the United States would suspend military sales to China. He did not intend to go any further, certainly for the time being, because he was anxious to keep links to the Chinese Government open. He recalled from his conversation with the Prime Minister in London that we were particularly sensitive to the implications of developments in Peking for Hong Kong and assumed that we shared his view of the need not to act precipitately.
The Prime Minister said that we had spoken out strongly against the use of violence by the Chinese authorities. People here were appalled by it. We had reaffirmed our commitment to Hong Kong, where there was naturally considerable alarm. We had also said that we believed the Chinese Government would continue to honour their obligations under the Joint Declaration. Beyond that, there seemed little we could do. Our information was limited and we could only wait to see what happened. Her own instinct told her that the situation in China was a long way from a final resolution. the light of all this, she thought that the President's statement was just about right.
President Bush said that the Americans were concerned about the safety of their students. There were reports that the army was attacking the university. He had spoken to the American Ambassador, who had sought and received assurances from the Public Security Bureau that the students would be
SECRET
In
Auth
576