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FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 441
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HKC031
RECEP
GISTRY
28 MAR 1990
DESK OFF!
Autor ada
64
112024
MDHIAN 2405
Pa Ais ра
H22p3
OF 220903Z MARCH 90
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
IN
YOUR TELNO 250 : ASIASAT.
1. IN HU CHUANZHONG'S ABSENCE ON 21 MARCH, COATES SPOKE TO MISS YU HONG AT THE HKMAO, MFA. MISS YU SUBSEQUENTLY CONFIRMED THAT SHE HAD REPORTED TO CHEN ZIYING. SHE SAID THAT THE HKMAO WERE FULLY AWARE OF THE URGENCY OF THIS PROBLEM BUT WERE NOT YET IN A POSITION TO LET US HAVE A FORMAL RESPONSE.
2. THE HKMAO HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY SUGGESTED THAT WE CALL ON THE MFA'S WESTERN EUROPEAN DEPARTMENT. PIGOTT TELEPHONED LIU JUNBAO, DEPUTY DIVISION CHIEF AT WED ON 22 MARCH AND ASKED FOR A MEETING AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY. LIU SAID THAT WED WOULD BE UNABLE TO TAKE MATTERS FURTHER FORWARD WITH US UNTIL SOME TIME NEXT WEEK. PIGOTT ASKED IF A CALL ON MONDAY 26 MARCH WOULD BE POSSIBLE. LIU SAID THAT HE DID NOT THINK THAT HE WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO GIVE US AN OFFICIAL RESPONSE BY THEN BUT WOULD DO HIS BEST. HE HAS UNDERTAKEN TO CONTACT US AGAIN ON 26 MARCH. HE WAS UNABLE TO INDICATE THE TERMS IN WHICH THE MFA WERE LIKELY TO RESPOND TO THE PROPOSAL WE PUT TO THEM ON 1 MARCH (MY TELNO 325).
3. WE HAVE TOLD HKMAO AND WED THAT WE ASSUME THAT ANY DELAY IN THE LAUNCH DATE WOULD ALSO BE UNWELCOME TO CHINA GREAT WALL INDUSTRY CORPORATION AND OTHERS CONCERNED ON THE CHINESE SIDE WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE ASIASAT SATELLITE.
4. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW THE DATE AFTER WHICH, IF WE HAVE NOT MANAGED TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER WITH THE CHINESE, A DECISION TO POSTPONE THE LAUNCH OF THE SATELLITE WILL BE MADE.
DONALD
YYYY
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