TNAG-2609-FCO40-3800-International-support-from-the-USA-regarding-the-future-of-H-1992 — Page 58

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APPLICATION TO REMAIN IN THE US IS STILL GOING THROUGH THE US LEGAL

SYSTEM) WAS SAID BY TAO TO BE AN OBSTACLE.

RADIO FREE CHINA/ASIA

10. KEYSER SAID, BUT ASKED THAT WE PROTECT CAREFULLY THAT THE CHINESE HAD RAISED THE QUESTION OF RADIO FREE CHINA/ASIA. THE IDEA THAT SUCH A STATION BE ESTABLISHED ANGERED THEM. KANTER HAD SAID

THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WAS OPPOSED TO THIS IDEA BUT THERE WAS A

LOT OF CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST. THE CHINESE HAD SAID THEY WOULD NOT

UNDERSTAND IF SUCH A STATION WERE ESTABLISHED. PRESIDENT BUSH HAS

APPOINTED A COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO THIS SUBJECT WHICH IS EXPECTED

TO VISIT CHINA. THE CHINESE SAID THEY COLLD NOT WELCOME A VISIT BY

THE COMMITTEE BUT MIGHT CONSIDER APPLICATIONS BY INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS

FOR VISAS TO VISIT. KANTER SAID HE UNDERSTOOD CHINESE VIEWS AND

SAID THAT THE CHINESE COULD DO A GREAT DEAL TO INFLUENCE THE FINAL

DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. KEYSER SAID THAT KANTER MEANT THAT

THE CHINESE TREATMENT OF THE COMMITTEE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE A MAJOR

BEARING ON THE RESULTS OF ITS DELIBERATIONS. BUT KEYSER SAID THERE

HAD BEEN NO SIGN OF CHINESE FLEXIBILITY ON THE ISSUE. IN A SIMILAR VEIN, KEYSER SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WAS CONCERNED AT THE UMBRAGE TAKEN BY PELL AND BOREN WHEN THE CHINESE WOULD NOT GRANT THEM VISAS FOR TIBET. BOREN HAS APPARENTLY PLEDGED TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE

IN OPPOSING MFN STATUS FOR CHINA.

MIAS

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KANTER APPEALED FOR CHINA'S HELP ON MIAS. HE SAID THERE WAS

CONSIDERABLE AMERICAN INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE. BOTH TAO AND LU SAID

THEY WERE PREPARED TO CONTINUE THEIR RESEARCHES BUT THEY REALLY

DOUBTED THERE WAS ANYTHING MORE TO DISCOVER.

COMMENT

12.

I ASKED KEYSER WHETHER THE KANTER VISIT HAD PRODUCED ANYTHING

WHICH WOULD HELP THE ADMINISTRATION IN THE MFN DEBATE. HE REPLIED

THAT THEY HAD NOT REALLY EXPECTED IT TO. ONE REASON KANTER HAD

COME WAS THAT THERE MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN LITTLE BILATERAL

CONTACT BEFORE NOVEMBER. THE TIME HAD COME TO TALK TO THE CHINESE ABOUT VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL AS WELL AS BILATERAL ISSUES.

13. I AM COPYING THIS TELELETTER TO S D FATTISON, WASHINGTON, STEPHEN BRADLEY, PAO, HONG KONG, CHRIS OSBORNE, BTC, HONG KONG, AND TO T FURNESS, HKD, FCO.

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