ㄡ
RESTRICTED
FM WASHINGTON
TO TELELETTER FCO
TELELETTER NFR
OF 172304Z
JULY 91
RESTRICTED
The Burns.
M Davies, FED
Fr Paul
坏
Mrs
हान
(78)
100530
MDTTAN 8097
IN Wyes RAD of Cox M
Mr Funxessis.
AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG, PEKING
FROM:
FOLLOWING FOR:
COPIED TO:
Pa
SD PATTISON, WASHINGTON
M STONE ESQ, HONG KONG DEPT, FCO CHANCERIES: HONG KONG
18/7
PEKING
US/CHINA
1. I HAD LUNCH ON 17 JULY WITH MARK MOHR (DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CHINA OFFICE AT STATE). HE SAID THE AMERICANS WERE PRESSING THE CHINESE HARD TO MAKE A POSITIVE GESTURE BEFORE THE SENATE DEBATE ON MEN NEXT WEEK. IN PARTICULAR THE AMERICANS HOPED FOR A FIRM STATEMENT FROM THE CHINESE OF THEIR WILLINGNESS TO ABIDE BY MTCR PRINCIPLES EVEN IF THE CHINESE WERE NOT ABLE TO JOIN THE MTCR ITSELF. ANY STATEMENT OUGHT, IDEALLY, TO SAY THAT THE CHINESE WOULD NOT SELL
MISSILES TO PAKISTAN OR SYRIA. MOHR SAID THE AMERICANS HAD BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THE POSITIVE NOISES ON MTCR WHICH THE CHINESE HAD MADE TO BARTHOLOMEW DURING HIS VISIT. THE AMERICANS WERE ALSO LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ON HUMAN RIGHTS. SOLOMON, CURRENTLY IN PEKING FOR THE CAMBODIA MEETINGS, WOULD BE PRESSING THEM HARD AT BILATERAL MEETINGS ON 20 JULY.
2. SO FAR, HOWEVER, THE CHINESE WERE HOLDING THEIR CARDS CLOSE TO THEIR CHEST. THEY DID NOT SEEM PREPARED TO MAKE A GESTURE FOR THE
SAKE OF MFN (OTHER THAN A FEW MINOR THINGS SUCH AS ALLOWING THE
FAMILIES OF FIVE CHINESE DISSIDENTS CURRENTLY STUDYING IN PRINCETON TO LEAVE CHINA). ALTHOUGH THEY HAD INDICATED THAT THEY MIGHT BE PREPARED TO MOVE ON MTCR, THEY WANTED THE AMERICANS IN RETURN TO LIFT SANCTIONS, PARTICULARLY THOSE IMPOSED IN JUNE AS A RESULT OF CHINESE ARMS SALES TO PAKISTAN WHICH PROHIBIT LICENCES FOR SATELLITE LAUNCHES, CERTAIN COMPUTER SUPPLIES, AND TRADE WITH CERTAIN CHINESE COMPANIES.
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3 THE CHINESE WERE ALSO ANGLING FOR A VISIT BY BAKER, WHO WOULD BE IN THE REGION FOR THE ASEAN PMC. MOHR SAID BAKER HAD NOT YET MADE UP HIS MIND. BUT HE WOULD NEED MORE THAN CHINESE COMMITMENT TO MTCR BEFORE AGREEING TO VISIT PEKING. THE CHINESE WOULD ALSO
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