Cypher/Cat A
695
CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Telno. 674
CONFIDENTIAL
20 July 1968
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 674 of 20 July, Repeated for information to Hong Kong and Bucharest.
Bucharest telegram No. 229: Diplomatic offensive.
(687)
I think the points we should try to get across are:
(a) the Chinese are detaining a diplomatic mission as a means of political pressure. This violates any known standards of behaviour.
(b) The Chinese do not claim to be beyond the diplomatic pale. They claim to behave correctly and are starting to invoke diplomatic rules when it suits them, e.g. last year against the Indonesians, Indians, Burmese and even our- selves in the Portland Place incident. The department's records can provide numerous examples. The Foreign Ministry have also denied to us in two recent interviews that they detain diplomats.
Foreign Office pass Hong Kong and Priority Bucharest,
Sir D. Höpson.
[Repeated as requested)
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