CYPHER/CAT A AND BY BAE.
IMMEDIATE FOREIGN OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 750
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PEKING
16 JULY 1968 (F)
CONFIDENTIAL.
ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 750 OF 16 JULY
INFORMATION TO PARIS HONG KONG
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 6431 EXIT VISAS.
FOLLOWING FROM WILKINSON.
GOCA
REPEATED FORN
63
JUL1968
HWD 3/2
689
YOU WILL HAVE SEEN VARIOUS REACTIONS FROM POSTS TO THE PROPOSALS
IN FOREIGN OFFICE TELEGRAM NO. 358 TO BERNE. WE ARE AGREED THAT, THOUGH SOME GOVERNMENTS MAY BE SOMEWHAT RELUCTANT TO ACT,
THIS IS NO REASON FOR NOT PRESSING THEM HARD TO DO SO.
2, ON PRESENT FORM WE ENVISAGE TRYING TO ENLIST THE COOPERATION
OF ALL THE COUNTRIES REPRESENTED IN PEKING EXCEPT THE SOVIET UNION, MONGOLIA AND ALGERIA, AND POSSIBLY TANZANIA. (WE ARE HOWEVER
CONSULTING H.M. AMBASSADOR IN MOSCOW ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DESIR- ABILITY OF KEEPING THE RUSSIONS INFORMED OF WHAT WE ARE DOING).
3 WE ARE NOW RECOMMENDING TO MINISTERS THAT INSTRUCTIONS TO
MISSIONS SHOULD BE ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:-
(A) AN APPROACH SHOULD BE MADE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN THE TERMS
OF THE TELEGRAM TO BERNE UNDER REFERENCE. SUBJECT TO THEIR VIEWS,
POSTS SHOULD BE ASKED TO LEAVE A BOUT DE PAPIER ABOUT THE FACTS
BASED ON YOUR TELEGRAM NO.359 AMPLIFIED BY PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE
TELEGRAM TO BERNE. IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF
POSTS AS TO WHETHER THEY INCORPORATE THE SUBSTANTIVE REPRESENT-
ATIONS IN AN AIDE MEMOIRE. IF THIS IS DONE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE
CHINESE MIGHT BE PRESENTED WITH A NUMBER OF NEARLY IDENTICAL
PIECES OF PAPER. ON BALANCE WE THINK THAT VARIED APPROACHES TO
THE CHINESE, WHICH HAD A GREATER APPEARANCE OF SPONTANEITY WOULD
BE PREFERABLE.
(B) WE WOULD SUGGEST THAT IN VIEW OF THE POSSIBLE RELUCTANCE OF
GOVERNMENTS TO ENGAGE IN WHAT MIGHT APPEAR TO BE A JOINT
DEMARCHE IN PEKING, IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE FOR THEM TO SUMMON THE
CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE CAPITAL. H.M. REPRESENTATIVES
WOULD INFORM GOVERNMENTS ABOUT WHICH OTHER GOVERNMENTS HAD BEEN APPROACHED, BUT WE WOULD LEAVE IT TO THEM TO CONSULT AMONG
THEMSELVES IF THEY SO WISH.
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691
CONFIDENTIAL
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