CONFIDENTIAL
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NO. 1801 TO HONG KONG
3
TO LEAVE TO DO SO AT THE SAME TIME. THIS WOULD INCLUDE, AMONG
THERS, MR. GREY, THE REPRESENTATIVE OF REUTERS IN PEK ING,
WHOM YOU NOW HOLD UNDER HOUSE ARREST. IF YOU GIVE ME YOUR
ASSURANCE THAT YOU AGREE TO THIS, BUT THE CHINESE NEWSPAPERMEN
AND NEWS AGENCY PERSONNEL RECENTLY SENTENCED IN HONG KONG POSE
A PROBLEM FOR YOU, I MAY BE ABLE TO ARRANGE THEIR DEPARTURE FROM
HONG KONG FOR CHINA.
THE TOTAL, BUT I HOPE TEMPORARY, EVACUATION OF OUR MUTUAL PERSONNEL MIGHT BE THE BEST MEANS TO ENSURE THAT NO FURTHER
INCIDENTS DEVELOP TO MAKE A BREACH INEVITABLE. BUT IF I COULD
GET YOUR PERSONAL AND OFFICIAL ASSURANCE THAT A BRITISH
DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN PEKING WOULD BE PERMITTED TO FUNCTION IN THE NORMAL WAY AND THAT THE SAFETY AND DIGNITY OF ITS PERSONNEL WOULD BE RESPECTED I WOULD BE PREPARED TO REPLACE THE PRESENT STAFF BY A NEW BUT SMALLER DIPLOMATIC MISSION TO YOU. IT NATURALLY FOLLOWS THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT A CHINESE MISSION IN LONDON ON SIMILAR TERMS AND WITH SIMILAR GUARANTEES.
I THINK THAT I FOR MY PART HAVE ANSWERED THE QUESTION WHICH YOUR VICE MINISTER PUT TO MR. HOPSON. I REPEAT THAT MY GOVERNMENT WISH TO MAINTAIN FRIENDLY AND FRUITFUL RELATIONS WITH YOU. THERE IS NO PROBLEM BETWEEN US WHICH IS NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO .. SETTLEMENT BETWEEN MEN OF GOODWILL. MAY I THEREFORE ASK YOU, IN THE SPIRIT IN WHICH I SEND THIS MESSAGE, TO LET ME HAVE YOUR ANSWER TO THAT SAME QUESTION. IN PARTICULAR I WOULD WELCOME YOUR REPLY TO THE ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS WHICH I HAVE SET OUT ABOVE. IN THE MEANTIME YOU MAY REST ASSURED THAT ALL YOUR OFFICIALS AND NATIONALS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE BEING GIVEN THE FULLEST POSSIBLE PROTECTION.
ENDS.
2. WE TRUST THAT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT FOR REASONS OF URGENCY, WE WERE UNABLE TO CLEAR WITH YOU THE LAST SENTENCE
OF PARAGRAPH 5. WE HOPE THAT IF THE CHINESE WISH TO PURSUE THE OFFER, IT WILL NOT CAUSE YOU DIFFICULTY.
CROSEC
SENT 14442 31 AUGUST, 1967
FILES
F.0.
F.E.D.
C.O.
H.K. &W.I.D. "C"
CONFIDENTIAL