CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2378
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, WASHINGTON
(178)
125714
MDHIAN 3361
HKB
020/14
Enter app
PEKING TELNO 1351 TO FCO: ASIASAT
1. OUR LINE ON ASIASAT REMAINS AS STATED IN OUR TELNO 2312 OF 11 JULY, IE WE ARE CONTENT TO ALLOW THE COMMERCIAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS TO TAKE ITS COURSE AND IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME FOR HKG TO INTERVENE.
2. PARA 3 OF PEKING'S TUR MENTIONED OUR ASSESSMENT OF THE POSSIBLE
EFFECT IN HONG KONG OF HMG SUPPORT FOR ASIASAT. WE CONSIDER THAT LOW
PROFILE HMG SUPPORT IS UNLIKELY TO RECEIVE MUCH HONG KONG MEDIA
ATTENTION.
3. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE SATELLITE IS NOT DUE FOR EXPORT UNTIL EARLY
1990 ALTHOUGH FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ASIASAT NEED TO BE CERTAIN THAT AN EXPORT LICENCE WOULD BE ISSUED WHEN REQUIRED. ON THIS BASIS WE AGREE WITH THE SUGGESTION IN PARA 7 OF TUR THAT THERE WOULD SEEM TO
BE ROOM FOR SOME FURTHER ADMINISTRATIVE DELAY. WE WOULD PREFER THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ANY APPROVAL BE DELAYED AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, ΤΟ GIVE TIME FOR SENSITIVITIES TO DIE DOWN.
4. WE NOTE THE STATEMENT IN WASHINGTON'S TELNO 1868 OF 12 JULY THAT
SUCH AN ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT WOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE WEEK OF 31 JULY. WE UNDERSTAND, HOWEVER, FROM MEDIA REPORTS THAT THE SENATE HAS NOW ALSO PASSED A BILL ON SANCTIONS ON CHINA BY A MAJORITY EXCEEDING THE TWO-THIRDS REQUIRED TO OVERRIDE THE PRESIDENTIAL VETO. COULD WASHINGTON CLARIFY WHETHER THIS IS THE SAME BILL THAT WAS
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES? HOW DOES THIS DEVELOPMENT AFFECT THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S INTENTION TO APPROVE THE ASIASAT PROJECT?
WILSON
YYYY
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL