CONFIDENTIAL
3
130366
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO ROUTINE PEKING
TELNO 451
OF 22150OZ APRIL 91
MDLOAN 9247
ра
HKC026/8 нитогор
Mr
Winteresting.
Ru
414.
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, NEW DELHI INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON
PERSONAL FROM DAVIES, FED
HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
DALAI LAMA
1. AS YOU WILL HAVE GUESSED, PRESIDENT BUSH'S DECISION TO RECEIVE THE DALAI LAMA HAS REVIVED DISCUSSION IN THE UPPER ECHELONS OF THE OFFICE ABOUT OUR POLICY. WITH HINDSIGHT AFTER THE PUBLIC OBLOQUY IN MARCH AND WITH THE GENERAL FEELING OF DISENCHANTMENT WITH CHINA ARISING FROM CHINESE OBSTRUCTIVENESS OVER HONG KONG, IT IS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT MINISTERS WILL NOT (NOT) BE READY TO REFUSE A MEETING WITH THE DALAI LAMA NEXT TIME. I CANNOT SAY AT WHAT LEVEL THIS WOULD BE, BUT IT WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY NOT BE AS LOW AS MINISTER OF STATE. IT COULD BE FOREIGN SECRETARY OR EVEN PRIME MINISTER.
2. FED'S GAME PLAN OVER THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN TO KEEP HMG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK. WE HAVE LARGELY SUCCEEDED. WE CAN HOWEVER NO LONGER ARGUE THAT A HIGH LEVEL MEETING WOULD PUT US AHEAD OF OTHERS. TWO IMPORTANT HEADS OF STATE (FRG AND USA) HAVE NOW MET THE DALAI LAMA AS HAVE A NUMBER OF LESSER DIGNITORIES WITHIN AND WITHOUT THE EC. GIVEN THE GOVERNMENT'S RECORD OF STANDING UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WHEREVER INDIVIDUALS AND MINORITIES ARE SUBJECT TO OPPRESSION, MINISTERS WILL NOT BE READY TO BE AMONG THE LAST TO GIVE HIM DUE ATTENTION.
3. YOU WILL BE AWARE THAT I HAVE ALREADY WARNED THE CHINESE EMBASSY OF THE LIKELY FORWARD MOVEMENT ON THIS (INDEED QIAN QICHEN SPECIALLY COMPLAINED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE ABOUT THESE HINTS). THERE IS STILL A POSSIBILITY THAT THE DALAI LAMA MAY COME HERE FOR A PESTALOZZI VILLAGE EVENT IN LATE MAY. IT WOULD OF COURSE BE AWKWARD FOR MINISTERS TO BE FACED WITH RENEWED REQUESTS TO RECEIVE HIM SO SOON AFTER HIS LAST VISIT AND WE WOULD CLEARLY MUCH PREFER A LONGER GAP BEFORE WE TOOK THE NEXT UPWARD
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