TNAG-2295-FCO40-3309-Possible-visit-by-the-Dalai-Lama-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 39

CONFIDENTIAL

HKCO26/8.

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY PEKING

TELNO 523

OF 10103OZ MAY 91

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

14 MAY 1991

fo new Cle

for

TOP COPY Q DIST?

©

014022

MDLOAN 1179

YOUR TELNO 617 AND HONG KONG TELNO 1399: DALAI LAMA: CHINESE DEMARCHE

1. WE VERY MUCH AGREE WITH PARAGRAPH 2 OF HONG KONG TUR WHICH CLOSELY REFLECTS OUR OWN THINKING. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE REVERT TO THE CHINESE ALONG THOSE LINES.

2. WE CERTAINLY WOULD NOT FAVOUR OFFERING THE CHINESE ANY ASSURANCE THAT THE DALAI LAMA WOULD BE REFUSED A HONG KONG VISA (YOU WERE RIGHT NOT TO DO SO IN YOUR PRELIMINARY RESPONSE). ANY SUCH UNDERTAKING, IF IT BECAME PUBLIC, WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR MINISTERS TO DEFEND. THE FACT THAT THE DALAI LAMA IS UNLIKELY TO WANT TO VISIT BEFORE LATE 1992 IS ANOTHER REASON NOT TO MAKE ANY SORT OF COMMITMENT TO THE CHINESE AT THIS STAGE.

HURD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

61

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

NEWS D

PLANNERS

ADDITIONAL

MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS

DISTRIBUTION

65

PUSD

RAD

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

SIR J COLES

MR BURNS

SIR P CRADOCK NO.10

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CONFIDENTIAL