TNAG-1624-FCO40-2238-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1987 — Page 6

R Fletcher, Cooke Esq

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PA

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BRITISH EMBASSY

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Telephone: 42 66 91 42

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Date

18 November 1987

Dear Richard

FRANCE/CHINA

1.

30NC 1987

Paris telno 1144 gave à first account of Li Xiannian's State Visit to France, 9-12 November. As promised, Claude Blanchemaison, Head of Far Eastern Department at the Quai, today gave a Community briefing.

2.

Blanchemaison said that as well as Li Xiannian's talks with Mitterrand and Chirac, Raimond called on him (and chatted about Gorbachev), and Vice Foreign Minister Zhou Nan had separate talks with Pérol, the Quai Secretary-General. The main subjects discussed were:

(a)

East/West

There was a convergence of views on the need for the US and Soviet Union to carry on from a INF agreement to negotiate reductions in strategic weapons and a ban on chemical weapons.

(b) Cambodia

The Chinese were interested to learn what the French knew about preparations for Sihanouk's forthcoming meeting with Hun Sen.

(Blanchemaison emphasised to us that this meeting was not a French initiative but that France would help provide suitable facilities.) The Chinese did not express either support for, or opposition to, the meeting but were sceptical of the prospects for an early solution to the Cambodia problem. They argued the need to maintain pressure on the Soviet Union. The Chinese and French disagreed, as usual, about the position of the Khmer Rouge. But the Chinese confirmed very formally that they believed that the future Government of Cambodia should be a quadripartite coalition, which was clearly directed by Sihanouk : Sihanouk's leadership should not just be a facade.

(c)

Afghanistan

The Chinese said they believed that the Russians wanted to withdraw but did not know how to do so.

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(d) Gulf

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