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4. This may all sound complicated, but the principal object would be to avoid making our concessions until we were pretty sure of some reciprocity from the Chinese side, particularly in relation to the thoughts of Mao.
5. Peking, I suggest, should confine their approach to saying we accept the misunderstanding over 'bona fide journalists', but that the number of genuine newspaper workers will remain to be agreed in Hong Kong, as would the number of visitors on which there had been no misunderstanding.
6. You will realise that I go this far with some reluctance at having to accept yet more concessions: nor can I really agree that we are on any weaker ground over the misinterpretation than are the Chinese.
Foreign Office please pass Immediate Peking 135.
Sir D. Trench
[Repetition to Peking referred for
Departmental decision]
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