RESTRICTED
58
005775
MDHIAN 5730
MB TOP COP
RESTRICTED
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 660
OF 090725Z MAY 91
Q DIST?
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
HONG KONG: MFA STATEMENT
1.
AT TODAY'S WEEKLY MFA PRESS CONFERENCE, THE SCMP'S GEOFFREY CROTHALL ASKED ABOUT THE AIRPORT TALKS, A POSSIBLE RESUMPTION AND THE ISSUES WHICH STILL DIVIDED THE TWO SIDES. WU JIANMIN SAID
THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD ALWAYS TAKEN A COOPERATIVE ATTITUDE AND
TRIED TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH THE BRITISH SIDE ON THE BASIS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE RESUMPTION OF CONTACTS WAS BEING
DISCUSSED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS.
2. A MAINLAND JOURNALIST SAID PRIVATELY TO US THAT HE HAD SEEN
LU PING THREE TIMES SINCE THE TALKS BEGAN. AT THEIR LAST ENCOUNTER LU HAD SAID THAT HE WAS OPTIMISTIC THAT TALKS WOULD
RESTART IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WE DID NOT RISE TO THIS BAIT EXCLAM.
COATES
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
88
PADS
DISTRIBUTION
95
LIMITED
HKD
ECONOMIC ADVISERS
ERD
FED
RAD
PS
PS/LORD CAITHNESS PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD PS/PUS
MR BAYNE
SIR J COLES
JOINT DIRECTORATE
NEWS D
PLANNERS PUSD
MR MILES
MR BURNS
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