HER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2062
CONFIDENTIAL
TO FOREIGN OFFICE
5 JULY 1968
224
CONFIDENTIAL.
ADDRESSED TO. FOREIGN OFFICE TELNO. 2062 OF 5 JULY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG PEKING AND POLAD SINGAPORE.
22 YOUR TELNO. 1262 TO HONG KONG: U.S. NAVAL VISIT.
THE MINISTER SPOKE ACCORDINGLY TO WINTHROPE BROWN WHO IS BUNDY'S DEPUTY IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT. HE SAID THAT SIR D. HOPSON HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO APPLY FOR AN EXIT VISA WITH THE AIM OF BRINGING MATTERS TO A HEAD. HE THEN GAVE A GENERAL ACCOUNT OF SIR D. HOPSON'S
CONVERSATION WITH MR. KAO (PEKING TELNO. 630) AND WENT ON TO
WA/2/6/6
MAKE THE POINT IN PARA 1(B) OF YOUR TELEGRAM TO THE EFFECT THAT SO LONG AS THERE WAS ANY HOPE OF A FAVOURABLE RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FOR EXIT VISAS FOR SENIOR STAFF YOU WERE ANXIOUS TO AVOID ANY ACTION
WHICH MIGHT PREJUDICE THE ISSUE. THE MINISTER EXPLAINED THAT YOU FELT THAT IT WAS AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND THAT THE CURRENT U.S. NAVAL VISITS TO HONG KONG SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AND THAT YOU WERE PARTICULARLY ANXIOUS THAT SINCE IT WAS KNOWN THAT THE CHINESE OBJECTED TO THEM THEY SHOULD NOT FIND A PRETEXT IN THEM FOR REFUSING OR INDEFINITELY DELAYING AN EXIT VISA TO SIR D. HOPSON. FOR THIS REASON YOU WANTED TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT GAP BETWEEN THE VISIT OF THE VALLEY FORGE AND THE BOSTON AND WOULD PREFER THE BONHOMME RICHARD NOT TO VISIT HONG KONG AT THIS TIME.
2. BROWN'S REACTION WAS SYMPATHETIC. HE SAID THAT THE BONHOMME RICHARD WAS RATHER A SPECTACULAR LOOKING SHIP AND THAT A GOOD DEAL OF COMMENT WOULD INEVITABLY BE PROVOKED IF IT VISITED HONG KONG. HE UNDERTOOK TO TAKE THE MATTER UP AT ONCE WITH THE PENTAGON. HE ASKED WHETHER WE WANTED THE VISIT OF THE BONHOMME RICHARD CANCELLED OR MERELY POSTPONED: THE MINISTER REPLIED THAT YOU PREFERRED NOT TO HAVE THE VISIT AT THIS TIME AND THAT THIS SUGGESTED THAT YOU WERE NOT OPPOSED TO A VISIT BY THIS SHIP PROVIDED IT COULD BE ARRANGED AT SOME FUTURE MUTALLY AGREEABLE DATE.
13.
229
R. &18
RECEIVED IN
~LIVES No. 63 - 8 JUL1953
(226
240
CONFIDENTIAL
There is a
Flagvan.
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further
9.7.68