CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1972
OF 210116Z NOVEMBER 91
INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
CONFIDENTIAL
HAB 0901
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MDHIAN 2910
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INFO PRIORITY TOKYO, SEOUL, OTTAWA, CANBERRA, UKMIS NEW YORK INFO PRIORITY UKMIS VIENNA, UKREP BRUSSELS, PARIS, BONN, HONG KONG INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, ACTOR
PART ONE OF TWO
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MY TELNO 1962 (NOT TO ALL).
VISIT TO CHINA BY US SECRETARY OF STATE BAKER.
SUMMARY.
1.
DETAILED COMMUNITY BRIEFING BY US AMBASSADOR CONFIRMS IMPRESSION OF A DIFFICULT VISIT WITH TOUGH TALKING ON BOTH SIDES. VERY LITTLE PROGRESS ON HUMAN RIGHTS BUT SOME ON OTHER ISSUES. IMPACT OF VISIT ON FUTURE RELATIONSHIP REMAINS TO BE SEEN. OPPORTUNITY TO GET CHINESE READING FROM QIAN QICHEN ON
21 NOVEMBER.
DETAIL.
2. US AMBASSADOR STAPLETON ROY, GAVE A DETAILED BRIEFING ON THE VISIT TO EC HEADS OF MISSION ON 20 NOVEMBER. MUCH OF THE BRIEFING CONSISTED OF ELABORATION OF POINTS INCLUDED IN THE OPENING STATEMENT MADE BY BAKER AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON 17 NOVEMBER. ROY EMPHASISED (AS BAKER DID) THAT THIS STATEMENT HAD BEEN NEGOTIATED WITH THE CHINESE WHERE SUBSTANTIVE COMMITMENTS WERE CONCERNED. I ASSUME THAT THE TEXT IS AVAILABLE IN LONDON.
GENERAL.
3.
ROY SAID THAT THE VISIT HAD BEEN PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO PREPARE BECAUSE OF THE STRONG POLITICAL OPPOSITION TO HIGH LEVEL DEALINGS WITH CHINA IN THE UNITED STATES. THE EMBASSY HAD BEEN TALKING TO THE CHINESE ABOUT A POSSIBLE VISIT FOR MONTHS, BUT HAD BEEN UNABLE TO PIN THE CHINESE DOWN AS TO THE RESULTS WHICH MIGHT BE EXPECTED FROM IT. THE PRESIDENT HAD EVENTUALLY DECIDED TO
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