RESTRICTED
1k
RESTRICTED
FM
PEKING
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
OF 150617Z OCTOBER 1987
617
023234
MDTTAN 0579
Consular D
197
р.а.
HLCD Mr Arkwright.
N
AND TO TELELETTER NEW DELHI, KATHMANDU, WASHINGTON, HONG KONG
FROM: ROD WYE, FIRST SECRETARY,
PEKING
CHANCERIES NEW DELHI
FILE REF: NFR
FOLLOWING FOR: RC FLETCHER-COOKE ESQ FED COPIED TO:
DATED: 15 OCTOBER
KATHMANDU
WASHINGTON
C WOOD ESQ, APA, HONG KONG
1987
F CO
News D
Into D
15/10
aseach
ch D
no Riordan
R2
15%
TIBET
1.
A FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED ON 14 OCTOBER THAT ''FOR THE TIME BEING'' TIBET WOULD NOT RECEIVE TOURISTS OR VISITORS EXCEPT THOSE WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE REGIONAL PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT AND
TOURIEST GROUPS WITH CONTRACTS SIGNED.
2.
THIS REALLY AMOUNTS TO THE FORMALISATION OF A SITUATION WHICH ALREADY PERTINED IN PRACTICE, FOLLOWING THE EXPULSION OF FOREIGN JOURNALISTS FROM LHASA AND THE TIGHTENING UP OF ACCESS TO TIBET VIA
THE AIR LINK WITH CHENGDU. IT IS UNCLEAR HOW LONG THIS BAN ON
TRAVEL TO TIBET IS GOING TO LAST.
SEASON WILL LARGELY BE OVER AS THE
WILL MEAN THAT TIBET IS EFFECTIVELY APPROVED VISITORS. BY THE TIME THE NEXT YEAR, THE CHINESE EVIDENTLY HOPE THAT PASSIONS WILL HAVE COOLED.
3.
WITHIN A FEW WEEKS THE HOLIDAY
TEMPERATURE DROPS IN TIBET. THIS
CLOSED EXCEPT TO OFFICIALLY
TOURIEST SEASON STARTS AGAIN
IT IS ALSO UNCLEAR WHAT MEASURES, IF ANY, THE CHINESE WILL TAKE TO DEAL WITH THOSE INDIVIDUAL TRAVELLERS ALREADY IN TIBET. PRESUMABLY THEY WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO LEAVE, BUT I DO NOT KNOW HOW FIRM THAT ENCOURAGEMENT WILL BE. THERE IS ALSO THE QUESTION OF INDIVIDUALS USING THE LAND ROUTES FROM GOLMUD, CHENGDU OR ELSEWHERE INTO TIBET. QUITE A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL TRAVELLERS USE THESE ROUTES
AND THE CHINESE MAY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO CLOSE THE PLACE DOWN ENTIRELY. THERE IS ALSO A RISK OF INDIVIDUAL TRAVELLERS FOUL OF THE PUBLIC SECURITY AUTHORITIES OVER THIS.
FALLING
4.
PART OF THE REASON FOR TAKING THIS ACTION WAS STATED
IMPLICITLY
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