RESTRICTED
FM WASHINGTON
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
OF 22233OZ JULY 91
RESTRICTED
HAB 040/4
Ri
AND TO TELELETTER PEKING, HONG KONG
Mrylaul
Mr Furryem
ра
189
113725
MDTTAN 8515
4/7
FROM:
FOLLOWING FOR:
COPIED TO:
SD PATTISON, WASHINGTON
M STONE ESQ, HONG KONG DEPT, FCO CHANCERIES:
PEKING
HONG KONG (PLEASE PASS TO
HOLLOWAY ATTENDING HOMC)
231ᄀ
CHINA MEN: THE BAUCUS LETTER
1. ON 19 JULY THE PRESIDENT REPLIED TO SENATOR BAUCUS' LETTER ON
US POLICY TOWARDS CHINA. THE REPLY DESCRIBED - IN 20 PAGES WORTH
OF DETAIL EXACTLY HOW THE ADMINISTRATION WAS PROPOSING TO ADDRESS BAUCUS' CONCERNS. I AM SENDING A FULL COPY OF THE LETTER BY BAG TO YOU AND OTHER ADDRESSEES, BUT THOUGHT YOU WOULD WELCOME A BRIEF SYNOPSIS.
2. ON HUMAN RIGHTS THE LETTER LISTED THE SANCTIONS IMPOSED SINCE
JUNE 1989, AND THE ATTEMPTS TO INVOLVE THE CHINESE IN DISCUSSION SINCE THEN. THE LETTER SAID THAT, AT LEAST, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THE LEGITIMACY OF HUMAN RIGHTS AS A SUBJECT OF
DISCUSSION. THEY HAD TAKEN A NUMBER OF MODEST POSITIVE STEPS TO
IMPROVE THE SITUATION, INCLUDING LIFTING OF MARTIAL LAW, THE RELEASE OF MOST OF THOSE DETAINED AFTER TIANANMEN, AND MORE LENIENT SENTENCES FOR THOSE CONVICTED ON POLITICAL CHARGES. THE LETTER
STRESSED THAT THE US WAS THE ONLY COUNTRY CURRENTLY MAINTAINING ITS TIANANMEN SANCTIONS: FOR EXAMPLE, THE ADMINISTRATION HAD MADE CLEAR TO G7 PARTNERS THAT THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ONLY THOSE
MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT LOANS FOR CHINA THAT SERVED BASIC HUMAN
NEEDS.
3. THE LETTER SAID THAT NON-PROLIFERATION HAD BEEN ON THE AGENDA
OF US/CHINA EXCHANGES FOR SOME TIME. IN ORDER TO UNDERSCORE
AMERICAN CONCERNS THE ADMINISTRATION HAD IMPOSED TRADE SANCTIONS ON CHINESE COMPANIES INVOLVED IN MISSILE-RELATED ACTIVITIES, AND DECLARED THAT IT WOULD NOT GRANT ANY FURTHER LICENCES FOR HIGH-SPEED COMPUTERS, OR FOR SATELLITE COMPONENTS, UNTIL THE
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