TNAG-2295-FCO40-3309-Possible-visit-by-the-Dalai-Lama-to-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 49

CONFIDENTIAL

130364

MDLOAN 92

STEP. BUT IF HE DOES COME IN MAY, WE MAY HAVE LITTLE OPTION BUT TO OFFER A HIGHER LEVEL MEETING THEN. HOW THIS REDOUNDS ON OUR HONG KONG PROBLEMS WILL CLEARLY NEED TO BE WEIGHED UP. BUT THERE IS A FEELING HERE THAT OUR CAREFUL RESTRAINT DURING THE DALAI LAMA'S MARCH VISIT HAS HAD NO MEASURABLE IMPACT ON CHINESE READINESS TO ACCOMMODATE US OVER HONG KONG, AND THAT TO RECEIVE HIM IN FUTURE WILL THEREFORE MAKE NO DIFFERENCE.

4.

-

PRESIDENT BUSH WAS ABLE TO ARGUE WITH THE CHINESE

THAT HIS RECEPTION OF THE DALAI LAMA WOULD EASE THE PASSAGE OF MFN. WE HAVE NO EXACTLY COMPARABLE ARGUMENT. BUT PUBLIC OPINION HERE, OF WHICH THE GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE ACCOUNT, WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE THE CHINESE GETTING AWAY WITH MALTREATMENT OF THEIR FELLOW CHINESE NOR, MORE PARTICULARLY, OF TIBETANS. THE CHANGE IN OUR POLICY IN ALLOWING CONTACT WITH SENIOR GOVERNMENT FIGURES AND MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY DURING THE DALAI LAMA'S RECENT VISIT HAD NO PERCEPTIBLE IMPACT ON THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE TIBET LOBBY OR OF PUBLIC OPPINION MORE GENERALLY.

HURD

YYYY

MAIN

58

LIMITED

FED

HKD

RAD

NEWS D

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

58

PUSD

SIR J COLES MR BURNS

2

PAGE CONFIDENTIAL