8. ZHAO REPLIED THAT CHINA'S VIEWS ON THE NATURE OF THE SOVIET UNION WERE IDENTICAL TO OURS. HE HAD MADE HIS POINT ABOUT THE ESCALATION OF THE ARMS RACE AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF A NEW POSTURE ON THE PART OF BOTH THE SOVIET UNION AND THE UNITED STATES. IN THE 70S IT HAD BEEN THE SOVIET UNION THAT WAS INCREASING ITS ARMAMENTS, BUT NOW THE SITUATION WAS DIFFERENT, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE UNITED STATES DEPLOYMENT OF THE FIRST INF IN EUROPE. IT WAS IN THAT CONTEXT THAT HE HAD SAID THE UNITED STATES SHOULD SHOW RESTRAINT. HE ASKED THE PRIME MINISTER TO CONVEY HIS GREETINGS AND REGARDS TO PRESIDENT REAGAN AND TO SAY THAT CHINA SINCERELY HOPED TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY SINO-US RELATIONS ON AN ENDURING AND STEADY BASIS AND HOPED THAT IN THE PRESEDENT'S SECOND TERM THERE WOULD BE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF EXISTING RELATIONS ON THE BASIS OF THE THREE JOINT COMMUNIQUES.
9. ON SINO-SOVIET RELATIONS, ZHAO SAND THAT THE SITUATION WAS UNCHANGED. PROGRESS DEPENDED ON THE REMOVAL OF THE THREE OBSTACLES. NO PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE IN THIS RESPECT EITHER AT THE FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING AT THE UN OR AT THE MOST RECENT ROUND OF NORMALISATION TALKS. BUT EXCHANGES IN THE ECONOMIC, TECHNOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL FIELDS HAD INCREASED AND WOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE. THE FORTHCOMING VISIT OF ARKHIPOV WOULD BE CONCERNED MAINLY WITH ECONOMIC AND TRADE MATTERS, FOR WHICH ARKHIPOV WAS RESPONSIBLE. ZHAO DID NOT EXPECT THE THREE OBSTACLES OR THE NORMAL-ISATION OF RELATIONS WOULD BE DISCUSSED DURING THE VISIT, IF THEY WERE, NO PROGRESS WAS EXPECTED.
10. NO OTHER INTERNATIONAL ISSUES WERE DISCUSSED AT THE FORMAL TALKS.
BUT
EVANS
EAST WEST & US/SOVIET RELATIONS
LIMITED
SOVIET D DEFENCE D
RESEARCH D
PLANNING STAFF
EED
PS/MR LUCE PS/PUS
MR DEREK THOMAS SIR W HARDING
MR FERGUSSON
[ COPIES SENT TO NO 10 DOWNING ST ]
COPY TO:
SIR P CRADOCK
NAD
WED
ACDD
FED
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG PS/MR RIFKIND
MR GOODALL
MR JENKINS
MR WESTON
MR DAVID THOMAS HKD
MR WILSON
CONFIDENTIAL
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