TNAG-2751-FCO40-3966-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-Hong-Kong-interests-1993 — Page 22

RESTRICTED

FM WASHINGTON

TO TELELETTER FCO

TELELETTER

NFR

OF 26214OZ JULY 93

RESTRICTED

1918 191

Thrs BJ'

INFO TELELETTER PEKING, HONG KONG

FROM:

ΤΟ

:

CC

:

T M DOWSE, WASHINGTON

MFN file

106700

MDTTAN 7454

MRN

Sir John

fr TDant

Mrs Bodel 29th

WARWICK MORRIS ESQ, FED, FCO CHANCERIES PEKING, HONG KONG

My Hun

Be to Milano ted/NPDD

~28/7

the/ SERPOLD kdi Ess

in/s Head (EZO(E)

на ( нар

HKB 091/1 2.-In Butow Sminkl

115

Hd | HUD

Per try

whi

U.S./CHINA

AUG 1993

1. WHEN I TOOK SIR CHARLES POWELL TO CALL ON PETER TOMSEN (PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EAST ASIA, STATE) ON 23 JULY, WE ASKED ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR MFN RENEWAL IN 1994.

2.

TOMSEN SAID THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAD SUCCEEDED THIS YEAR IN SETTING CONDITIONS FOR RENEWAL WHICH GAVE SOME SCOPE FOR MANOEUVRE.

BUT THE WRIGGLE-ROOM WAS NOT UNLIMITED. THE CHINESE WOULD HAVE TO DELIVER SOMETHING IN ALL 3 AREAS OF CONCERN (IE HUMAN RIGHTS, TRADE POLICIES AND PROLIFERATION) IF RENEWAL WAS TO BE ASSURED. CHINA'S CONGRESSIONAL CRITICS WERE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP. THE AMERICANS WERE URGING THE CHINESE TO DEMONSTRATE SOME MOVEMENT THIS YEAR, AND NOT TO WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE.

27

3. ON HUMAN RIGHTS, TOMSEN SAID THAT THERE WERE A FEW ENCOURAGING SIGNS. IN PARTICULAR, THE TALKS WHICH HAD JUST BEGUN IN PEKING WITH TIBETAN REPRESENTATIVES (INCLUDING THE DALAI LAMA'S BROTHER) WERE A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD. STATE WERE NOT EXPECTING MUCH PROGRESS ON SUBSTANCE IN THE NEAR FUTURE: THE TIBETAN DEMANDS WERE PITCHED MUCH TOO AMBITIOUSLY (WITHDRAWAL OF THE PLA: DECLARATION OF TIBET AS A NUCLEAR WEAPON FREE ZONE ETC). BUT SOMETHING MIGHT BE ACHIEVED IN THE AREAS OF CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. AND THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE WAS THAT A DIALOGUE HAD BEEN RE-ESTABLISHED: WITHOUT THIS, THERE WAS NO FRAMEWORK IN WHICH THE CHINESE COULD

OFFER CONCESSIONS.

4.

ON PROLIFERATION MATTERS, TOMSEN NOTED THAT WARREN CHRISTOPHER WOULD BE TALKING TO HIS CHINESE COUNTERPART IN THE MARGINS OF THE ASEAN PMC, WHILE LYNN DAVIS (UNDER-SECRETARY FOR POL/MIL AFFAIRS) WOULD BE IN PEKING ON 26 JULY. THE FOCUS OF U.S. PRESSURE WAS

1

PAGE

RESTRICTED