CONFIDENTIAL
HKCO26/8.
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY PEKING
TELNO 523
OF 10103OZ MAY 91
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
14 MAY 1991
fo new Cle
for
TOP COPY Q DIST?
©
014022
MDLOAN 1179
YOUR TELNO 617 AND HONG KONG TELNO 1399: DALAI LAMA: CHINESE DEMARCHE
1. WE VERY MUCH AGREE WITH PARAGRAPH 2 OF HONG KONG TUR WHICH CLOSELY REFLECTS OUR OWN THINKING. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE REVERT TO THE CHINESE ALONG THOSE LINES.
2. WE CERTAINLY WOULD NOT FAVOUR OFFERING THE CHINESE ANY ASSURANCE THAT THE DALAI LAMA WOULD BE REFUSED A HONG KONG VISA (YOU WERE RIGHT NOT TO DO SO IN YOUR PRELIMINARY RESPONSE). ANY SUCH UNDERTAKING, IF IT BECAME PUBLIC, WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR MINISTERS TO DEFEND. THE FACT THAT THE DALAI LAMA IS UNLIKELY TO WANT TO VISIT BEFORE LATE 1992 IS ANOTHER REASON NOT TO MAKE ANY SORT OF COMMITMENT TO THE CHINESE AT THIS STAGE.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
61
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
NEWS D
PLANNERS
ADDITIONAL
MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS
DISTRIBUTION
65
PUSD
RAD
PS/LORD CAITHNESS
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
SIR P CRADOCK NO.10
PAGE
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CONFIDENTIAL