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IF HE TRIED, IT WAS NOT CLEAR THAT THERE WOULD STILL BE SUFFICIENT VOTES IN THE SENATE TO SUSTAIN HIS VETO.
5. HUM SAID IT WOULD BE BETTER TO TACKLE CONCERNS ABOUT CHINA'S BEHAVIOUR ON HUMAN RIGHTS ETC WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH MFN. SENATOR BAUCUS' IDEAS FOR A HUMAN RIGHTS TASK FORCE MIGHT BE WORTH PURSUING. CLARK SAID HE THOUGHT THE CHINESE MIGHT BE TRYING TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS WITH THE U.S. ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES. THEY HAD RECENTLY AGREED - FOR THE FIRST TIME - TO ACCEPT A U.S. ENVOY (QUINN, DAS) TO DISCUSS POW/MIA ISSUES. THERE HAD NOT BEEN MUCH PROGRESS, BUT THE FACT THAT THE CHINESE WERE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE WAS SIGNIFICANT.
HONG KONG
6. HUM SAID WE VALUED U.S. SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG (EG COMMERCE SECRETARY FRANKLIN'S REMARKS DURING HER VISIT). THE CHINESE TOOK NOTE OF SUCH PRESSURE FROM THIRD COUNTRIES PARTICULARLY IF IT CONCERNED THEIR TRADING PARTNERS. IN CONFIDENCE HUM SAID THAT WHILE WE WERE NOT TRYING TO ORCHESTRATE AN INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN, OUR POLICY WAS NOW ONE OF 'QUIET INTERNATIONALISATION'.
7.
CLARK SAID THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE U.S. AND UK TO STAY IN CLOSE TOUCH ON DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG. THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WERE LIKELY TO BE DIFFICULT. IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE AMERICANS NOT TO MISINTERPRET EVENTS. ADVANCE WARNING OF MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS WOULD BE USEFUL. HUM AGREED THAT WE WOULD KEEP THE AMERICANS WELL BRIEFED.
8.
CLARK WARNED ABOUT THE RISKS THAT SOME MIGHT TRY TO CONDITION MFN ON CHINA'S SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG. HUM REITERATED THAT IN OUR VIEW SUCH LINKAGE WOULD BE DAMAGING.
RENWICK
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