CONFIDENTIAL
HANG 0911
Y
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
REC
23 FEB 1393
TO DESKBY 18100OZ FCO TELNO 256
~Y
Q DIST?
OF 180857Z FEBRUARY 93
INFO DESKBY 18140OZ WASHINGTON
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
ре
29
173604
MDHIAN 0139
CHINA/MFN: YRTELNO 136
1. I AM GRATEFUL FOR BEING GIVEN SIGHT OF YOUR DRAFT BRIEF FOR THE PRIME MINISTER ON THE MFN ISSUE. THIS SEEMS TO US TO BE VERY MUCH ALONG THE RIGHT LINES. I HAVE JUST A FEW COMMENTS ON THE POINTS TO MAKE.
2. THE FIRST IS TO SUGGEST THAT THE DEFENSIVE POINT SHOULD BE DELETED FROM THE BRIEF. I FEEL THAT IT IS SIMPLY TOO EARLY A STAGE IN OUR LOBBYING EFFORT TO EXPOSE OUR FALLBACK POSITION.
3.
THE SECOND IS THAT WE MIGHT STRENGTHEN THE THIRD TIRET IN THE BRIEF ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS. OUR SUGGESTED REDRAFT IS AS FOLLOWS:
QUOTE
IN OUR VIEW CANCELLATION OR CONDITIONAL RENEWAL OF MFN IS NOT THE BEST MEANS OF PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA. THE MFN WEAPON TARGETS PRECISELY THOSE WHO, BY THEIR INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, ARE MAKING REFORM IN CHINA ULTIMATELY INEVITABLE. HOPE US WILL EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS E.G. A BILATERAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. ALSO AWARE THAT CHINA WOULD LIKE US APPROVAL OF WORLD BANK LENDING, AND US TO LIFT ITS 1989 BAN ON US TRADE PROMOTION PROGRAMME.
UNQUOTE
4. MY THIRD POINT IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TO THE PRIME MINISTER THAT SHOULD A SUITABLE OPPORTUNITY ARISE, HE MIGHT AGAIN RAISE WITH CLINTON WHETHER I MIGHT MAKE A BRIEF CALL ON HIM. THIS COULD BE IMPORTANT FOR OUR OVERALL POSITION HERE AND IN RELATION TO CHINA, ALTHOUGH I WOULD NOT WISH TO LABOUR THE POINT. I AM CURRENTLY PLANNING TO VISIT THE US IN LATE APRIL/EARLY MAY, BUT COULD GO AT ANOTHER TIME IF THAT WOULD SUIT THE PRESIDENT BETTER. IF THE PRESIDENT WERE TO ASK WHAT I WISHED TO DISCUSS, IT WOULD BE BEST TO SAY THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT ANY ISSUES
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CONFIDENTIAL
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