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OF A THREAT WHEN IN HONG KONG HARBOUR THAN ANYWHERE ELSE). THEY MUST BE WELL AWARE THAT THE DANGERS OF ACCIDENT ARE IN FACT VERY SLIGET. SHOULD WE CHANGE OUR POLICY ON A MATTER OF SUBSTATNIAL IMPORTANCE TO US MERELY BECAUSE THE CHINESE LEVEL OF TOLERANCE APPEALS TO BE LOWER THAN IT WAS? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT OUR EXPERIENCE OF THE PAST YEAR HAS SHOWN THAT THE RESULT MIGHT WELL BE NOT A LESSENING BUT AN INCREASE OF PRESSURE IN THIS AND IN. OTHER FIELDS.
6. I DO NOT WANT TO IMPLY THAT I AM OPPOSED TO A MORE CAREFUL SPACING OF VISITS BY THE LARGER VESSELS IN FUTURE. I AM CERTAIN IT WOULD BE USEFUL NOW TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM CAREFULLY WITH THE AMERICANS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND OUR DIFFICULTIES. THREE POINTS TO MAKE MIGHT BE:-
(A) THERE. OUGHT TO BE NO POTENTIALLY CONTROVERSIAL VISITS IN THE FORTNIGHT CR SO AFTER A NUCLEAR POWERED WARSHIP, STRIKE CAFEIEL OR LPH C HELICOPTER OF TROOP CARRIER) HAS VISITED HONG KONG:
(B) THE AMERICANS SHOULD GIVE US THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE NOTICE OF MAJOR SHIP VISITS: AND,
(C) IN THE LIGHT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ANTI-AMERICAN CAMPAIGN. KEFE DURING, REPEAT DURING, THE VISIT OF 'ENTED PRISE' VISITS BY
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PARTICULARLY CONTROVERSIAL SHIPS MIGHT IN FUTURE LAST A BIT LESS THAN
THE NORMAL FIVE DAYS.
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9. THE FACT REMAINS, HOWEVER, THAT AS A RESULT OF OUR RECENT CANCELLATION OF THIRE VISITS BY LARGER CHIPS (U.S.S. 'IVOJIRA 'BOSTON' AND 'OUFENFISH') THE CULLENT PROGRAMME IS A FAIRLY LIGHT ONE. I SHOULD MYSELF REC MMEND THAT 'TICONDEROGA' SHOULD COME ON 19TH TO 25TH JUNE AS PLANNED. IF SHE DID NOT COME AND IT APPEARED THAT WE HAD HALTED VISITS BY MAJOR SHI S FOR A PERIOD, HE SHOULD
HAVE CIVEN THE COMMUNISTS A SIGNIFICANT VICTORY: AND WE COULD
EXPECT CORRESPONDINGLY MORE TROUBLE WHEN WE STARTED UP KAJON VISITS
AGAIN.
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