TNAG-2244-FCO40-3225-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-impact-on-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 12

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1972

OF 210116Z NOVEMBER 91

INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON

CONFIDENTIAL

HAB 0901

n

па

f

277

011343

MDHIAN 2910

MEN

2

INFO PRIORITY TOKYO, SEOUL, OTTAWA, CANBERRA, UKMIS NEW YORK INFO PRIORITY UKMIS VIENNA, UKREP BRUSSELS, PARIS, BONN, HONG KONG INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, ACTOR

PART ONE OF TWO

nt

MY TELNO 1962 (NOT TO ALL).

VISIT TO CHINA BY US SECRETARY OF STATE BAKER.

SUMMARY.

1.

DETAILED COMMUNITY BRIEFING BY US AMBASSADOR CONFIRMS IMPRESSION OF A DIFFICULT VISIT WITH TOUGH TALKING ON BOTH SIDES. VERY LITTLE PROGRESS ON HUMAN RIGHTS BUT SOME ON OTHER ISSUES. IMPACT OF VISIT ON FUTURE RELATIONSHIP REMAINS TO BE SEEN. OPPORTUNITY TO GET CHINESE READING FROM QIAN QICHEN ON

21 NOVEMBER.

DETAIL.

2. US AMBASSADOR STAPLETON ROY, GAVE A DETAILED BRIEFING ON THE VISIT TO EC HEADS OF MISSION ON 20 NOVEMBER. MUCH OF THE BRIEFING CONSISTED OF ELABORATION OF POINTS INCLUDED IN THE OPENING STATEMENT MADE BY BAKER AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON 17 NOVEMBER. ROY EMPHASISED (AS BAKER DID) THAT THIS STATEMENT HAD BEEN NEGOTIATED WITH THE CHINESE WHERE SUBSTANTIVE COMMITMENTS WERE CONCERNED. I ASSUME THAT THE TEXT IS AVAILABLE IN LONDON.

GENERAL.

3.

ROY SAID THAT THE VISIT HAD BEEN PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO PREPARE BECAUSE OF THE STRONG POLITICAL OPPOSITION TO HIGH LEVEL DEALINGS WITH CHINA IN THE UNITED STATES. THE EMBASSY HAD BEEN TALKING TO THE CHINESE ABOUT A POSSIBLE VISIT FOR MONTHS, BUT HAD BEEN UNABLE TO PIN THE CHINESE DOWN AS TO THE RESULTS WHICH MIGHT BE EXPECTED FROM IT. THE PRESIDENT HAD EVENTUALLY DECIDED TO

1

PAGE CONFIDENTIAL

こ