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Cypher/Cat A
HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Telno. 146
3 February 1968
SECRET
Addressed C.0. telegram No. 146 of 3 February Repeated for information to: Peking,
and Saving to Washington.
Hew
Clearance has been sought for the visits of two nuclear-powered ships, the submarine 'Queenfish' 93 [sic] to 8 March) and destroyer 'Truxton' (4 to 10 March).
2. It is possible that the simultaneous arrival of two nuclear vessels might prompt the Chinese to register special disapproval of this visit. But given their cautious treatment of the subject of U.S. Navel visits in recent months, it seems to us that this risk can be accepted, unless the general situation in the Far East gets very much worse in the next few weeks. The vossols would be inconspicuously situated at the Western end of the harbour and the coincidence of the visits would have the advantage of requiring only a single visit by the Navel Monitoring team.
3. We would therefore propose to grant clearance but to emphasize the usual warnings that events between now and the dates of the visit may change the situation.
F.0. please pass Puking as my telegram 48 and Washington as my 7 Saving.
C.0.
Sir D. Trench
[Repetition to Peking referred for departmental decision repcated as requested to other post).
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
H.K.D.
F.E. & P.D.
Defence Dept.
158
A
F.0.
F.E.D.
D.D. & P.U.S.D. DIS M.O.D.
77777
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