CONFIDENTIAL
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032263 MDHIAN 6853
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 09090OZ FCO
TELNO 1569
OF 090814Z NOVEMBER 92
INFO DESKBY 09090OZ HONG KONG
HKC 021/1.
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
.
ра
TOP CA Q DIST ?
MY DINNER FOR QIAN QICHEN, 10 NOVEMBER
1. IN MY PRESIDENCY CAPACITY, I SHALL BE ACTING AS HOST AT A DINNER WHICH EC AMBASSADORS ARE GIVING FOR FOREIGN MINISTER QIAN QICHEN TOMORROW EVENING (10 NOVEMBER). THIS DINNER IS A REGULAR FIXTURE, TAKING PLACE ONCE DURING EACH PRESIDENCY. THE PROCEEDINGS BEGIN WITH A SEMI-FORMAL DISCUSSION IN WHICH THE FOREIGN MINISTER RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS ON TOPICS WHICH HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED TO THE MINISTRY BEFOREHAND.
2. WE DELIBERATELY AVOID BILATERAL ISSUES ON THESE OCCASIONS SO HONG KONG IS NOT/NOT LIKELY TO COME UP. BUT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE A QUIET WORD WITH QIAN OR FAILING HIM JIANG ENZHU IN THE MARGINS.
3. IF SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY ARISES, AND SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS AND THOSE OF THE GOVERNOR, I PROPOSE TO TAKE THE LINE THAT THE GOVERNOR REMAINS WILLING TO DISCUSS HIS CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS: IF THE CHINESE DO NOT LIKE THOSE HE HAS PUT FORWARD WE HOPE THAT THEY WILL COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVES WHICH MEET THE CRITERIA OF FAIRNESS, OPENNESS AND ACCEPTABILITY TO PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. MR GALSWORTHY HAS ASKED GUO FENGMIN HOW THE CHINESE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MATTERS FORWARD IN THE JLG (THE CHANNEL QIAN HIMSELF MENTIONED TO THE GOVERNOR). WE AWAIT THE CHINESE RESPONSE. IN THE MEANTIME THE ABUSIVE CAMPAIGN BEING MOUNTED BY THE LEFT-WING PRESS IN HONG KONG IS DOING NOTHING TO HELP PROMOTE THE COOPERATION THE CHINESE SAY THEY WANT.
4.
IT IS FOR CONSIDERATION WHETHER I SHOULD WARN QIAN OR JIANG THAT THE SITUATION OVER HONG KONG IS LIKELY TO BE RAISED WITH ZHU RONGJI AT A HIGH LEVEL DURING HIS VISIT TO THE UK (JIANG ENZHU WILL OF COURSE BE ACCOMPANYING ZHU). ON BALANCE I AM INCLINED NOT TO DO SO. THE CHINESE WILL HAVE WORKED THAT OUT FOR THEMSELVES AND WILL BRIEF ZHU ON HONG KONG IN ANY CASE.
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