TNAG-2236-FCO40-3215-Hong-Kong-and-China-subversion-and-student-demonstrations-1991 — Page 161

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064145 MDHIAN 5292

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2234

OF 121128Z JULY 91

HKE CEN

RECEIVETS

22 JUL 1991

TOP COPY Q DIST?

AND TO IMMEDIATE OTTAWA

INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, TOKYO, CANBERRA, PARIS, BONN

INFO IMMEDIATE THE HAGUE, BRUSSELS, STOCKHOLM, OSLO, COPENHAGEN INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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OUR TELNO 2204 TO FCO AND OTTAWA TELNO 375 (NOT TO OTHERS): CONFERENCE OF CHINESE STUDENT FEDERATIONS

1. THE POLITICAL ADVISER HAS BRIEFED REPRESENTATIVES HERE OF CANADA, THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, FRANCE, GERMANY, THE NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, SWEDEN, NORWAY AND DENMARK ON OUR INTENTION NOT TO ALLOW POLITICAL ACTIVISTS FROM OVERSEAS TO ENTER HONG KONG FOR THIS CONFERENCE. WE HAVE INFORMATION THAT DELEGATES PLAN TO ATTEND FROM THESE COUNTRIES. EHRMAN EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENTS OF THESE COUNTRIES WOULD UNDERSTAND OUR DECISION AND NOT FEEL A NEED TO COMMENT ON IT.

2. MOST WERE GENERALLY SYMPATHETIC, BUT THE US DEPUTY CONSUL- GENERAL WARNED THAT THERE COULD BE CRITICISM FROM CONGRESS AND THAT THIS WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE JUST BEFORE THE SENATE MFN VOTE. WASHINGTON MAY LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO EXPLAIN OUR POSITION AS IN OUR TELNO 2204. WE WOULD ALSO BE HAPPY FOR OTTAWA TO SPEAK TO THE DEA, AS THEY HAVE PROPOSED. THE CANADIAN COMMISSIONER HERE HAS THANKED US FOR THE BRIEFING, WHILE SAYING THAT OUR ACTION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HE THOUGHT HIS GOVERNMENT WOULD GREATLY APPROVE OF.

WILSON

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