TNAG-2295-FCO40-3309-Possible-visit-by-the-Dalai-Lama-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 20

FROM:

Prime Minister

TO:

IN CONFIDENCE

The Rt Hon Sir Richard Lue DL MP

Thank you for your letter of 22 October about the

Dalai Lama's visit.

I

Douglas Hurd and I had in fact already concluded

that I should see the Dalai Lama on this occasion.

propose to receive him ostensibly in his religious

capacity as have other Western leaders. I have invited

the Archbishop of Canterbury to be present to underline this point. The Chinese will not like the meeting and

will create a fuss. Malcolm Caithness is due to visit

China between 26 November and 4 December, and I would much prefer to keep my meeting under wraps, if possible at least until he has left Peking (28 November).

If the Chinese get wind of the planned meeting too early, they are likely to complain and remonstrate frequently and at increasingly senior levels. This would certainly affect the atmosphere for Malcolm's visit and

could even lead to its cancellation.

Could I ask you therefore to keep this to yourself

pro tem, but to encourage others discreetly not to create

a huge public fuss about the Dalai Lama's visit? Any such fuss would make my meeting that much more difficult and stir up Chinese hostility.

IN CONFIDENCE