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CONSIDER POSED A CHALLENGE TO THEIR OWN LEGITIMACY). THESE WERE:
(I) FREEDOM OF TRAVEL. THE AMERICANS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHINESE WITHHOLDING PASSPORTS FROM CHINESE CITIZENS IN THE US, OR FROM RESIDENTS IN CHINA WANTING TO TRAVEL TO THE US, ON THE GROUNDS THAT FAMILY MEMBERS HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN ALLEGEDLY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY (SEE PATTISON'S TELELETTER OF 1 MAY). THE CHINESE SAID THERE OUGHT NOT TO BE A PROBLEM, BUT INDICATED THAT IT WAS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO ISSUE PASSPORTS UNTIL APPLICANTS HAD QUOTE SETTLED FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTIES UNQUOTE PARTICULARLY WITH THEIR WORK UNITS IN CHINA. STATE INTENDED TO PRESS FOR CLARIFICATION, BUT REGARDED THIS AS REASONABLY HOPEFUL.
(II) THE EXPORT OF GOODS MANUFACTURED BY PRISON LABOUR. THE CHINESE SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR POLICY TO AUTHORISE EXPORT OF SUCH GOODS, BUT ADMITTED THAT, WITH DECENTRALISATION, PEKING WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL ALL THE ACTIVITIES OF REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS. THEY UNDERTOOK TO TIGHTEN CONTROLS, AND TO COOPERATE WITH THE US CUSTOMS IN INVESTIGATING EXPORTS.
(III) AMNESTY FOR POLITICAL PRISONERS DETAINED AFTER TIANANMEN. THERE WAS NO/NO HINT FROM THE CHINESE THAT ANY FLEXIBILITY WAS POSSIBLE. BUT WIEDERMAN SAID THAT THE CHINESE EMBASSY HERE, IN RESPONSE TO ENQUIRIES FROM STATE, HAD GIVEN THEM AN ACCOUNT OF PEOPLE ARRESTED AND TRIED IN PEKING. ALTHOUGH THIS DID NOT COVER THOSE WHO WERE NOT BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURTS, WIEDERMAN WAS INCLINED TO REGARD IT AS A POSITIVE STEP. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE CHINESE HAD BEEN PREPARED TO GIVE ANY ACCOUNT AT ALL. (IV) PROLIFERATION. THE CHINESE REITERATED THAT THEY AND THE ALGERIANS INTENDED TO MAKE THEIR NUCLEAR AGREEMENT PUBLIC. THEY WERE WORKING ON A SMALL RESEARCH REACTOR OF NO MILITARY USE, WHICH THE ALGERIANS WOULD PUT UNDER IAEA SAFEGUARDS. THEY CONTENDED AS BEFORE - THAT THEIR MISSILE SALES TO PAKISTAN FELL OUTSIDE THE MTCR BECAUSE THE RANGE OF THE MISSILES WAS LESS THAN 300 KILOMETRES. NEVERTHELESS THEY ASSURED KIMMITT THAT
THEY WERE WILLING TO DISCUSS NON-PROLIFERATION IN THE APPROPRIATE INTERNATIONAL FORA. WIEDERMAN COMMENTED THAT THIS WAS MILDLY ENCOURAGING, ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT HOLD OUT GREAT HOPES OF CHINESE WILLINGNESS TO JOIN NON-PROLIFERATION REGIMES. COMMENT
5. WIEDERMAN SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE DIGESTING THE RESULTS OF KIMMITT'S VISIT OVER THE NEXT WEEK. HIS INITIAL RESPONSE WAS THAT THE CHINESE HAD BEHAVED BETTER THAN HE HAD EXPECTED. AT LEAST THEY WERE NOW RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS. SCHIFTER'S DISCUSSIONS IN PEKING LAST DECEMBER HAD BEEN LARGELY
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