TNAG-2927-FCO40-4202-Visits-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-C-1993 — Page 39

CONFIDENTIAL

104075 MDHI 4497

A USEFUL AND PERHAPS FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO PERSUADE US TO CHANGE COURSE. OTHERS, PERHAPS UNEASY ABOUT THE WAY OUR TALKS ABOUT TALKS FOUNDERED, MIGHT SEE IT AS THE LAST CHANCE OF RESUMING SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION IN THE NEAR FUTURE (THE CHINESE MIGHT FEEL ABLE TO TAKE A MORE FLEXIBLE APPROACH TO OFFICIAL-LEVEL TALKS TO ''PREPARE'' AND/OR ''FOLLOW-UP'' SUCH A MEETING THAN TO THE SELF-STANDING TALKS ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS WHICH WE HAVE HITHERTO BEEN DISCUSSING). STILL OTHERS MIGHT WISH TO USE THE, QUESTION FOR PURE PROPAGANDA PURPOSES - WHETHER TO SHOW THAT BRITAIN IS ''INSINCERE'' AND DEVIATING FROM THE MOU (IF WE DO NOT PROPOSE A MEETING) OR TO FLEX CHINESE MUSCLES (BY REJECTING A BRITISH PROPOSAL FOR A MEETING ON THE GROUNDS THAT NO BASIS FOR DISCUSSION EXISTS).

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5. FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW I AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR THAT A VISIT BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE HERE IN APRIL IS NOT AN ATTRACTIVE PROSPECT. ON THE OTHER HAND WE WILL PRESUMABLY HAVE TO PROPOSE OR AGREE TO A MEETING AT SOME POINT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IF WE ARE TO MEET THE TERMS OF THE MOU. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND I SUGGEST:

(A) THAT WE SEEK TO KEEP OUR OPTIONS OPEN: AND

(B) THAT WE MAINTAIN A CONSTRUCTIVE AND NON-CONFRONTATIONAL TONE, WHICH CANNOT BE EXPLOITED AGINST US BY THE HARD-LINERS WITHIN THE CHINESE SYSTEM.

6.

IN PUBLIC I RECOMMEND THAT WE STICK TO THE LINE PROPOSED IN YOUR TEL NO 111 TO HONG KONG, AS AMENDED IN SUBSEQUENT EXCHANGES:

WE STAND BY THE COMMITMENT IN THE MOU SIGNED BY THE PRIME MINISTER IN SEPTEMBER 1991 THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHOULD MEET THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER TWICE YEARLY. WE HAVE NOT YET STARTED TALKING TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ABOUT WHEN AND WHERE TO HOLD THE NEXT MEETING. IT IS TOO EARLY TO JUDGE WHAT WILL BE THE BEST TIMING.

IN ANY CASE WE HOPE THAT BY THE TIME OF THE NEXT MEETING REAL PROGRESS WILL HAVE BEEN MADE IN RESOLVING OUR DIFFERENCES ON HONG KONG BUSINESS. AS WE AND THE GOVERNOR HAVE MADE CLEAR, WE REMAIN OPEN TO TALKS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE ON HONG KONG'S ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS.

7. AS FOR FOREWARNING THE CHINESE ABOUT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S FAR EASTERN TRIP, IT WOULD BE A NORMAL COURTESY TO LET THEM KNOW IN ADVANCE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL BE VISITING THE REGION BUT HAS NO PLANS TO COME TO PEKING. THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES AND THE CHINESE HAVE NOT SHOWN US THE SLIGHTEST COURTESY OVER RECENT WEEKS.

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