4.
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In this connection, I cannot of course 'instruct' the ferry captains to do anything without the necessary powers. Either the ferries run willingly without any need for intervention by us, or they must be chartered or requisitioned and the crew induced by suitable incentives to sail in them. I would be most reluctant to consider requisitioning, and the Portuguese can charter as easily as we can.
5. If it is necessary to continue the dialogue with the Portuguese Ambassador at this stage, perhaps he could be told that the admission to Hong Kong without fuss of a substantial but unannounced number of evacuees from Macao during the last three days is evidence of our goodwill. It would be helpful if it were also possible to make the point that if evacuation is to be arranged without chaos, some advance planning must be done by the Portuguese authorities themselves. At present the Hong Kong Government is apparently expected to make all the arrangements, but I have been provided with no precise information by the Portuguese about the progress of the negotiations with the Chinese and the likelihood of evacuation, or about numbers and categories of people to be expected here, or about how (if at all) the Portuguese propose to organise and control embarkation and document or otherwise identify those they accept as travell- ing under their auspices.
6. Hong Kong English language papers today suggest that the negotiations are now proceeding satisfactorily and a settlement is in sight. We have no evidence to confirm this. However, the local left-wing press continues to say very little about Macao.
F.o.(s)/C.0.(S)/WH.(S) Distribution
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Mr. A.J. de la Mare
Sir J. Rennie
Ministry of Defence
Mr. Henn
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