TNAG-2916-FCO40-4191-International-support-from-European-countries-regarding-the--1993 — Page 29

HKD 021

4

RECEIVE

3 O NOV 1993

DESK OFFICE!

INDEX

Private Secretary

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da lut sup/Eur.

From: J T Masefield

Date: 26 November 1993

cc: PS/Mr Goodlad

PS/PUS

Sir J Coles

Mr Fry, FED

Mr Smith, CFSP Unit

Mr Hope, WED

Mr Ricketts, HKD

Mr Wilkinson, Planners Mr Culshaw, News Dept Special Advisers

EC POLICY ON HIGH LEVEL CONTACTS WITH CHINA

1. There seem to me to be at least three rather separate strands in all this. First, the question of whether we protest to the Germans about Chancellor Kohl's invitation. The time for doing this has now probably passed, and in any case there is general agreement that it would achieve nothing.

2.

Second is the effect on emerging practice under the CFSP. Here it seems to me that the Germans have got us off to a bad start. However, there may be some advantage for us in future when we shall no doubt have national interests that we shall wish to pursue unilaterally.

3. Third, and more germane to Sino-British relations, is the prospect that I fear of a relatively early tour of Europe by President Jiang Zemin in a series of state visits to, say, Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium. In theory, it would be open to us too to invite Jiang Zemin, but with the current state of negotiations over Hong Kong and public attitudes towards Tiananmen, this hardly seems attractive. But this would leave the UK pointedly on the sidelines. As Mr Fry says, there would be commercial penalties. It would also be a clear demonstration of lack of support over Hong Kong, and the Government might well be criticised for having allowed us to become isolated, even if this were to be matched by some praise for sticking fast to our principles over Tiananmen.

4. In the circumstances I am still attracted to an idea which the department considered at an earlier stage: namely that we should accept that invitations have been issued to Jiang Zemin, but ask our colleagues (apart from the Portuguese, whose position is different) to try to delay the dates for such visits to take account of political developments, not least over human rights.

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