CONFIDENTIAL
0716
MDHIAN 1293
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COMMENTED THAT THE MEETING WAS SO BAD THAT HE WONDERED WITH HINDSIGHT WHETHER LI WAS THEN SICKENING FOR WHATEVER ILLNESS HAD STRUCK HIM DOWN · AND THINGS SEEMED TO GO BACKWARDS. THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE HAD HOWEVER TOLD ROY JUST BEFORE LORD'S ARRIVAL THAT THE QUESTION OF INTERNATIONAL ACCESS TO PRISONERS WAS STILL BEING
CONSIDERED.
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ROY COMMENTED THAT THE TIMING OF LORD'S VISIT HAD BEEN PARTLY DETERMINED BY A SOUTH-EAST ASIAN TOUR ALREADY ON THE STOCKS. BUT IT HAD SEEMED RIGHT IN RELATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MFN ISSUE IN CONGRESS. IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT HAD BEEN SAID BY CLINTON AND OTHERS DURING THE CAMPAIGN, IT HAD BEEN CLEAR THAT THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY OF UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL. THE REAL QUESTION WAS WHETHER THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP IN CONGRESS WOULD GO ALONG WITH THE PRESIDENT'S WISH TO PROCEED BY MEANS OF AN EXECUTIVE ORDER. THERE WAS A NEED TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE CHINESE WOULD BE PREPARED TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP.
5. ROY SAID THAT AGAINST THAT BACKGROUND THE KEY US CONCERNS RAISED BY LORD IN HIS PEKING DISCUSSIONS WERE:-
(A) HUMAN RIGHTS: AN AMNESTY FOR POLITICAL PRISIONERS, ACCESS TO THEM BY INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, AND DIALOGUE WITH THE DALAI LAMA.
(B) NON-PROLIFERATION. HERE THE MAIN CONCERN WAS POSSIBLE M-11 SALES TO PAKISTAN. THE AMERICANS HAD EVIDENCE THAT THE CHINESE HAD SHIPPED SOMETHING TO PAKISTAN IN VIOLATION OF MTCR GUIDELINES/PARAMETERS BUT THE EVIDENCE WAS NOT CATEGORICAL. THE CHINESE HAD CONSISTENTLY REJECTED THE US ALLEGATIONS BUT HAD PROVIDED NO INFORMATION WHICH WOULD SET AMERICAN HEARTS AT EASE.
(C) TRADE. THE MOST IMPORTANT AREA WAS THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EXISTING MARKET ACCESS AGREEMENT. SUFFICIENT PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE ON OTHER AREAS SUCH AS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND SERVICES FOR THEM NOT TO BE PRIORITIES.
TALKS
6.
LORD HAD ONE HOUR WITH MA ZHENGANG (DIRECTOR OF THE MFA'S NORTH AMERICAN DEPARTMENT), TWO HOURS WITH VICE-FOREIGN MINISTER LIU HUAQIU, SEPARATED BY A WORKING LUNCH, AND AN HOUR'S MEETING WITH TIAN ZENGPEI, WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE FOREIGN MINISTRY IN QIAN QICHEN'S ABSENCE. LIU HUAQIU HAD ALSO ATTENDED A DINNER GIVEN
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CONFIDENTIAL
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