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China "to discuss issues of mutual interest, including
human rights".
Sir G Howe and Sir John Coles recommend that
subject to the Foreign Secretary's and the Prime Minister's views, the delegation's general objective
should be to concentrate on careful study, quiet
discussion and reasoned persuasion as part of the UK's
overall effort to promote an improvement in human rights
in China. They recognise that certain elements in the
media will advocate a more confrontational posture. But
it is striking that in all Our contacts with serious NGO s
they have made clear their preference for the quiet
approach. The Foreign Secretary endorses this line.
Participants
If this recommendation is accepted, this argue s for inclusion in the delegation of people with genuine expertise in human rights issues and / or China. It
would also be important to choose carefully among MPs in
order to avoid the risk of grand-standing by publicity
seekers (any repetition of the recent stunt by Bob Parry
MP would certainly wreck the visit). At his meeting in
New York the Prime Minister told Li Peng that he
envisaged a delegation of senior Members of Parliament,
though not necessarily only MP s; he told the Cabinet that
he had in mind a delegation of five including three from the House of Commons. It would be helpful if we could
have some flexibility in interpreting these general
guidelines. For example, with Lord Howe as leader, we
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