CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
HUD
021
4
FM BONN
RECE
ISTRY
TO ROUTINE FCO
UCL 1993
TELNO 999
(
REGISTRY
OF 10140OZ DECEMBER 93
on Taken
93
146312
MDLIAN 5583
? Mrs Bieres-Jones pre TOP COPY
Q DIST?
た
AND TO ROUTINE HONG KONG, PEKING, TOKYO, WASHINGTON, EC POSTS
FRY'S TELELETTER OF 2 DECEMBER (NOT TO ALL)
GERMAN/CHINESE EXCHANGE OF INVITATIONS AT HEAD OF STATE LEVEL
Summary
1.
German President undecided on whether to take up invitation to visit China. We brief on Hong Kong.
Detail
2. In the light of LUR and previous correspondence we called on Neukirch (Head of Department) in President von Weizsaecker's office. We said that we had no instructions on the question of von Weizsaecker's possible visit but that it might be useful to his office to understand the background on Hong Kong while they made their minds up about this visit. We then explained the position along the lines of guidance tel no 46.
3. At the end of this Neukirch asked whether a visit by the President would be positive or negative in Hong Kong terms. Emphasising again that we were speaking without instructions we said that we thought it would be negative. It would reinforce the Chinese belief that they could play European countries off against each other using the Chinese market as a bribe. This in turn would make them more disposed to disregard western views and interests in Hong Kong, and more confident in the success of their own methods. Jiang Zemin's visit to Portugal had been unfortunate but a visit by the German President to China was in an altogether different league. It was for the President to make up his own mind on whether he should visit China at this stage but we hoped in doing so he would take account of the Hong Kong factor.
4.
Neukirch said (please protect) that opinions in the President's office on the wisdom of this possible visit were divided. No decision had yet been made.
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