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HKD $26/12
024453 MDHIAN 2951
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FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELNO 450
OF 081145Z FEBRUARY 91
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
DALAI LAMA: INVITATION TO VISIT HONG KONG
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE LOCAL BUDDHIST YOUTH ASSOCIATION HAS WRITTEN TO THE DALAI LAMA INVITING HIM TO COME TO HONG KONG. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ASIA PACIFIC FORUM FOR TIBET, LOCAL BUSINESSMAN PETER KEDGE, CONTACTED US TO ENQUIRE WHAT HKG'S ATTITUDE WOULD BE TO THE IDEA OF A VISIT BY THE DALAI LAMA. HE SAID THAT SUCH A VISIT WOULD BE PURELY PASTORAL AND WOULD BE LIKELY TO CONSIST OF A SHORT STOPOVER EN ROUTE TO OTHER PLACES IN THE REGION.
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WE HAVE OF COURSE FOLLOWED CLOSELY THE CURRENT DISCUSSION REGARDING RECEPTION OF THE DALAI LAMA IN LONDON: AND NOTED THE CONTINUED VEHEMENCE OF CHINESE OPPOSITION. I BELIEVED THAT EVEN A PASTORAL VISIT BY THE DALAI LAMA TO HONG KONG WOULD BE TAKEN GRAVELY AMISS BY THE CHINESE. IT WOULD NOT MAKE SENSE IN TERMS OF HONG KONG'S POLITICAL PRIORITIES, WHERE THE CONSIDERATIONS ON A MATTER OF THIS SORT WILL INEVITABLY BE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE IN THE UK.
3.
THE DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER HAS THEREFORE SPOKEN TO KEDGE TO STEER HIM AWAY FROM THE IDEA. IN THE EVENT, IT SEEMS THAT THE DALAI LAMA'S DIARY WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO VISIT HONG KONG BEFORE 1993, SO WE HAVE A GOOD DEAL OF TIME IN HAND. BUT THIS IS BY NO MEANS THE FIRST APPROACH WE HAVE HAD FROM LOCAL BUDDHISTS. IT MAY BE THAT NEXT TIME THEY WILL SIMPLY PUT IN A VISA APPLICATION RATHER THAN ASK FOR OUR VIEW FIRST.
WILSON
YYYY
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