IN CONFI DE NCE
DRAFT LETTER FROM SIR J COLES TO SIR G HOWE
HUMAN RIGHTS DELEGATION TO CHINA
Thank you for you very thoughtful letter of 27 May.
On Hong Kong, I entirely understand your concerns. Might I suggest, however, that we avoid making any final decisions for the time being. The autumn threatens to be a tricky time on democracy
democracy issues in Hong Kong. A human rights delegation transitting the territory then could run into particular flak.
On Tibet, I tend to agree with your view that a vi sit best avoided during this trip.
i s
I promised you a sight of the draft letter we propose to put to No 10, and this I now enclose with apologies for the delay. I would welcome your thoughts as soon as convenient. The Prime Minister [has been] seeing Li Peng in Rio on 12 June and the subject may conceivably [have] come up again. I would like to brief him soon on
on the present position.
FE7ABF
SIR J COLES
IN CONFIDE NOE