TNAG-1999-FCO40-2846-Meeting-between-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-1990 — Page 21

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SUCH AS THE BULLET THROUGH THE NCNA WINDOW WOULD HAPPEN IF THE TEMPERATURE WAS ALLOWED TO RISE TOO FAR. I UNDERLINED THAT THERE WAS NO PROOF OF ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS INCIDENT AND THE DEMONSTRATIONS. HAD A POLITICAL ACTIVIST SOUGHT TO MAKE A POINT, IT WAS NOT PARTICULARLY LIKELY THAT HE WOULD HAVE CHOSEN TO SHOOT THROUGH THE 11TH FLOOR OF AN UNINHABITED BUILDING WHICH FEW KNEW BELONGED TO NCNA.

13. AT THE END OF THE EVENING ZHOU COMMENTED THAT WE NEEDED TO BUILD UP CO-OPERATION AND IMPROVE THE GENERAL ATMOSPHERE AND NOT TO CONDUCT DISCUSSIONS THROUGH THE PRESS. I SAID THAT THIS WAS MY WISH ALSO. IT WAS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO KEEP MATTERS OUT OF THE PRESS. BUT THE IMPORTANT THING WAS FOR PEOPLE TO SEE SOME SPECIFIC INSTANCES OF PRACTICAL CO-OPERATION.

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