SECRET
IMMEDIATE
agreed in TUR, Mr Goodlad is calling in Ambassador Ma on 4 June
to propose that we should hold two rounds in the course of June
(14-16 June, and a further round early in the week of 21 June)
and should aim by the end of these to have discussed the two
sides' views on all the outstanding issues including our four
points. Realistically, the Chinese side will probably not move
that fast (or if they do, we shall simply get re-heated versions
of points they have already made about the FCs, the Election
Committee and the through train). If so, we would be in danger
by the end of June of running out of material to keep the
negotiations going.
4. We accept that it could be difficult for OPD(K) to decide to
give the negotiators new authority to accept changes to your
proposals on the basis of the guide-lines you discussed with ExCo
on 1 June (your telno 888), if the Chinese side are still
dragging their feet, eg on the through train. We doubt that
there will be a better opportunity for Ministerial' discussion
this side of the summer break. If OPD (K) did conclude that we
should make a conditional offer, eg on the Election Committee, a
short visit by the Secretary of State to Peking on 9 July could
be well-timed. It would enable the him to launch this new phase
without becoming enmeshed in detailed negotiations and to signal
to the Chinese side before a summer break that we were serious
about making progress, and willing to make changes to your
proposals in the context of an acceptable overall settlement.
5. We would need to review this gameplan after the Fifth Round
and before raising the question of a visit by the Secretary of
State to Peking with the Chinese side. But it would be useful to
know at this stage whether you or Sir R McLaren agree:
That we
we should now firmly pin-down 1 July for a meeting
of OPD(K), that you and Sir R McLaren would both plan to
return