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(3) VISITS TO PRISONERS.
THESE ARE ALREADY GENEROUS AND COMMUNISTS ARE NO LONGER MAKING
AN ISSUE OF THEM. THEY HAVE NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, RESPONDED SO
FAR TO PEKING'S OFFER OF ANOTHER SPECIAL VISIT.
(F) GIFT RICE AND PRISONERS' CLOTHING.
WE OFFERED SUBSTANTIAL CONCESSIONS HERE BUT THEY WERE NOT ACCEPTED.
BOTH QUESTIONS HAVE NOW BEEN VIRTUALLY DROPPED.
2. IT WILL BE SEEN THEREFORE HOW LIMITED IN PRACTICE IS THE SCOPE
FOR CONCESSIONS BY HONG KONG IN THESE MAJOR AREAS.
3. TO TURN NOW TO PEKING TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE. I AGREE OF
COURSE THAT SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS ARE BAD AND SHOULD BE IMPROVED
IF POSSIBLE. BUT WHILE WE MAY NOW HAVE ESTABLISHED A CHANNEL OF
COMMUNICATION OF SORTS (MY TELEGRAMS 895 AND 896 REFER), WE DO 629 (680)
NOT YET SEEM TO HAVE FOUND ANYTHING MUCH IN THE HONG KONG SITUATION
TO DISCUSS, AND I AM IMPRESSED BY THE ADVICE NOT TO RUSH THINGS. Į
REPORTED IN PARAGRAPH 4 OF MY TELEGRAM NO. 895.
4. THE PRESENT SITUATION IN HONG KONG IS NOT UNFAVOURABLE, WITH
THE ACTIVE PHASE OF CONFRONTATION ENDED AND COMMUNIST HORALE
GENERALLY SPEAKING LOW. THIS, OF COURSE, IN SOME WAYS MAKES IT
ALL THE HARDER FOR THE PUBLIC TO ACCEPT THE NEED FOR MAJOR
CONCESSIONS. IN PARTICULAR CONCESSIONS MANIFESTLY AIMED AT
"BRINGING ABOUT THE BENEFITS IN PARAGRAPH 2(A), (B), AND (C)
OF THE TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE MUST BE APPROACHED WITH EXTREME CARE. ́PUBLIC OPINION HERE IS WATCHFUL FOR ANY SUGGESTION THAT
IMPORTANT HONG KONG INTERESTS ARE BEING SUBORDINATED TO U.K.
ANTERESTS, AND ONLY TOO READY TO SEARCH FOR A DOUBLE MOTIVE IN
ALL WE DO. FURTHERMORE THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT
THE CONCESSIONS WE HAVE MADE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INFLUENCED THE
POLITICAL ATHOSPHERE IN HONG KONG CPARAGRAPH 2CD) REFERS).
OR THAT ANY WE COULD MAKE WILL DO SO.
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