GOPY FOR REGISTRATION MAY
SECRET
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
Cypher
D. 29 May 1967 R. 29
1?
0755Z
12
1967
RECTED AN ARCHIVES No.63
SECRET No.726
JUMAI 190/
HWA1/17
172
155
Addressed to Commonwealth Office (D.T.D.)
Repeated to:
Peking No.281
POLAD Singapore No.137 Washington No.149
(S. of S. please pass to all)
Your telegram No.1038.
Disturbances.
I am very grateful for your response to my proposals.
2. In present lull, extreme measures are not of course immediately necessary; but we must be careful not to be so over-tolerant as to allow a fresh and different assault to be hatched up in total impunity, nor to lose the initiative entirely. Posters, leaflets and the press are still operating flagrantly outside the law, and the continued and unmolested presence here of the worst of the leaders and agitators remains most dangerous. While we certainly must not be unduly provocative at the present time, it would be equally dangerous for several reasons to shew excessive complacency, weakness or apparent vacillation.
30
I am therefore considering what counteraction within the above limits might be taken during this present phase. It could best, I believe, take the general form of a gradual but fairly (?omission) reinsistence on adherence to the law (either by normal police action or through the courts) in carefully selected cases. In this, it would not, of course, be practicable to consult you on every occasion; but I would naturally consult before doing anything particularly likely to stir up trouble.
40 Your paragraph 3. Possibility of deportees being refused entry at the border has of course been very much in my mind throughout. But, if this should occur, detention or police supervision procedures would in suitable cases, if things got that far - be available. For militant small fry police supervision orders might be a very useful weapon.
50 Your paragraph 9. It is difficult to make firm plans without knowning what form a new and serious confronta- tion would take. We are, however, actively planning, with the public utility companies where they are concerned, what we would do to counter widespread and prolonged stoppages in the essential services. This seems the most probable risk at present, apart from a plain recurrence of violence.....
PARO
SECRET
155
160
18992009228A