1
CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY WARSAW
TELEGRAM NUMBER 373
(204)
CONFIDENTIAL
724
TO FOREIGN OFFICE
26 JULY 1968.
CONFIDENTIAL
ADDRESSED TO FO TEL NO 373 OF 26 JULY 68.
REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO PEKING MOSCOW AND SAVING
TO BERNE SOFIA BUDAPEST BUCHAREST PRAGUE COPENHAGEN
THE HAGUE HELSINKI OSLO PARIS STOCKHOLM BELGRADE CAIRO
COLOMBO KABUL KATHMANDU DELHI RAWALPINDI KLAMPALA NAIROBI LUSAKA
RABAT VIENTIANE KHARTOUM MOGADISHU HONG KONG DAR ES SALAAM
WASHINGTON BAGHDAD.
YOUR TELNO 373 TO BERNE
I SPOKE TO MR WINIEWICZ TODAY. 1 SHALL SEND BY BAG A COPY OF THE
NOTES FROM WHICH I SPOKE.
2. HE SAID HE COULD TELL ME AT ONCE THAT THE POLISH GOVERNMENT
WOULD NOT FEEL ABLE TO MAKE REPRESENTATIONS TO THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT ON BEHALF OF THE BRITISH MISSION IN PEKING.
THIS WAS NOT FOR WANT OF SYMPATHY OR GOOD WILL. THE POLISH
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SIMPLY HAD NO MEANS OF CONDUCTING
REASONABLE DISCOURSE WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THE CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRS HAD PAID A CALL THE PREVIOUS DAY TO COMPLAIN
ABOUT CERTAIN ARTICLES IN THE POLISH PRESS. IT HAD BEEN A
TIRADE LASTING FOUR HOURS DURING WHICH THE CHARGE HAD BEEN
UNWILLING TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING. THE POLISH AMBASSADOR
AT PEKING HAD COME HOME FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND THE MINISTRY
HAD NO PLANS AT PRESENT FOR SENDING HIM BACK. THE POLISH
CHARGE D'AFFAIRS IN PEKING HAD NO USEFUL CONTACTS IN THE FOREIGN MINISTRY. INDEED FOR MOST OF THE TIME IT WAS
•
NOT CLEAR WHO WAS IN EFFECTIVE CHARGE OF THE MINISTRY
THE POLES HAD HAD SEAMEN ARRESTED, AND ONE OF THEIR JOURNALISTS MAD BEEN ARRESTED WHILE READING A WALL NEWSPAPER. IT WAS
/EXTREMELY
R-C ARCHI
+
26 JUL 1968
CONFIDENTIAL
70x 7257739