TNAG-1156-FCO40-1436-Visits-by-FCO-Ministers-to-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 167

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

CONFIDENTIAL

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Mr. McQuick

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Mr. William

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Mr. Moons 281. Medgar.

RECORD OF TALKS BETWEEN THE LORD PRIVY SEAL AND THE CHINESE

VICE FOREIGN MINISTER ZHANG CANMING, AT THE NO 3 STATE GUESTHOUSE, PEKING, "ON THESDAY 5 JANUARY 1982 AT 9.00 AM

Present:

Lord Privy Seal

Sir P Cradock

Mr T Arnold MP

Mr A E Donald

Mr M W Atkinson

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No

26/1

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Mr R Westbrook

Mr M A Arthur

Mr AC Galsworthy Mr R N Peirce

Mr J Ashton

Zhang Canming, Vice Minister, MFA

Wang Benzuo, Director Western European Department, MFA

Zheng Yaowen, Division Head WED

Tang Longbin, Deputy Director, Protocol Department, MFA

Interpreters

Junior Officials

1.

After the exchange of formal introductions and

welcoming comments in which both sides agreed that Britain and

China held similar views on many major international issues the

Lord Privy Seal suggested that talks begin by discussion of the

recent events in Europe and in particular Poland. Recent

developments there were well known; it was clear to Britain that

General Jaruzelski and the Polish Army were maintaining purely

military rule. Substantial steps had been taken to prevent

Solidarity or any other organisation from having any influence.

For the time being a military dictatorship had been established.

Mr Atkins said that it was very difficult to obtain reliable

information; movement in and out of Poland and that of foreign

journalists and diplomats there was severely restricted. There

was no doubt that some people had been killed by the army; the

Polish Government claimed that there had been only eight deaths

but unsubstantiated reports suggested that the true figure was

much higher. The problem was how reliably to assess the

differing reports. But General Jaruzelski seemed to be having

some success in maintaining order and preventing either Solidarity

or the church from influencing events.

2.

Mr Atkins said that the Polish economy was clearly suffering considerably. The fall in industrial production and

in particular that of coal would have a serious effect on the

CONFIDENTIAL

/entire

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