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CYPHER/CAT A AND BY BAG
IMMEDIATE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO HONG KOMG (D.T.D.)
TELNO. 2579
18 DECEMBER 1967
(HWB)
210
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ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 2579 OF 18 DECEMBER REPTD FOR
INFMN TO PEKING AND POLAD SINGAPORE AND SAVING TO WASHINGTON.
T.S. ANNEY
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 1840. CHINESE POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN THE INDICATORS YOU REFER TO IN PARAGRAPH 1. THEY POINT TO CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY AMONGST THE CHINESE ABOUT POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG AND MAY BE TOKEN ATTEMPTS BY THE COMMUNISTS TO DISENGAGE.
2. WE AGREE, HOWEVER, WITH THE READING OF THE SITUATION IN PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 347 AND ARE NOT CONVINCED THAT THE CHINESE HAVE ANY
DESIRE TO TALK ABOUT HONG KONG IN GENERAL. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY MAY IN THE NEAR FUTURE BE PREPARED TO ENTER INTO SOME SORT OF EXCHANGES ABOUT PARTICULAR QUESTIONS, SUCH AS THE DEPORTATION OF PRISONERS, THE RELEASE OF GREY OR NEW BORDER PROBLEMS IF THEY ARISE BUT IT SEEMS TO US DOUBTFUL THAT THEY WILL IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE WISH TO GO BEYOND THIS, SINCE THEY SURELY HAVE LITTLE TO GAIN AND MUCH TO LOSE (IN TERMS OF THE INTERNAL POLITICS IF THEY DO SO.
3. OUR VIEW IS THAT WE SHOULD RESPOND CUTIOUSLY TO ANY APPARENT FEELERS TOWARDS UNDERSTANDINGS ON MATTERS IN WHICH THE C.P.G. SHOWS SPECIAL INTEREST. IN DOING SO WE MUST AVOID A SITUATION IN WHICH WE WILL HAVE TIED OUR HANDS IN AN AREA WHERE WE COULD EXERT PRESSURE, E.G., THE COMMUNIST PRESS, WHILE LEAVING CPG FREE TO EXPLOIT OTHER ASPECTS OF CONFRONTATION.
4. IF GENERAL TALKS WITH THE CHINESE ON HONG KONG ARE SEEN TO BE
A POSSIBILITY WE AGREE THAT THERE ARE ARGUMENTS FOR HOLDING THEM ELSEWHERE THAN IN HONG KONG OR PEKING. BUT WE DO NOT THINK THAT
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