TNAG-1156-FCO40-1436-Visits-by-FCO-Ministers-to-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 163

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decisions on their behalf.

Prince Sihanouk had arrived in

Peking on 4 January. Talks had not yet started. Sihanouk

would spend some considerable time in Peking and then visit

North Korea.

Korea

9.

In response to a question from Mr Atkins, Mr Zhang

spoke about the Chinese attitude to Korea. China wished to

see Korea reunified. Reunification was Korea's internal affair

and should be achieved without outside interference. The

presence of US troops in South Korea was an obstacle to independent and peaceful reunification. President Reagan's

renunciation of the 'plan concerning US troops in South Korea'

was not in the interests of the Korean people, nor beneficial to peaceful reunification.

10.

Mr Zhang said that North Korea had on many occasions

stated that it did not want war. China believed this, and that

North Korea did not harbour intentions of aggression against

South Korea. North Korea had made many constructive proposals

for eliminating the risk of military confrontation on the Korean

peninsula. They had proposed a dialogue with the US side and

they had proposed that a peace treaty should replace the

existing armistice. In October 1980 President Kim Il Sung had

proposed the establishment of a 'Democratic Confederal Republic

of Koryo'. As the social systems of North and South Korea were

different, China thought that this proposal was practical and

realistic. Unfortunately South Korea had rejected it. China

supported the reunification of Korea, was opposed to the

creation of two Koreas and to cross-recognition.

China did not have any relations with South Korea.

11.

That was why

Turning to Premier Zhao's recent visit to North Korea,

Mr Zhang said that this had been a return of Premier Li Jong Ok's visit to China in January 1981. It had been a goodwill

visit. The two sides had exchanged views on international and

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