SECRET
WCHER/CAT À
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO HONG KONG (D.T.D.)
IMMEDIATE
TELNO 2334
SECRET.
16 NOVEMBER 1967
(HWB 4/1)
188
ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR HONG TELEGRAM NO 2334 OF 16 NOVEMBER REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO POLAD SINGAPORE AND WASHINGTON.
FOLLOWING FROM GALSWORTHY.
YOUR TELLONAM NUMBER 1698. BORDER TALKS.
WE WILL CONSULT MINISTERS FIRST THING IN MORINING. BUT VIEWS
OF FOREIGN OFFICE AND OURSELVES AT OFFICIAL LEVEL ARE AS FOLLOWS.
2. WE AGREE THAT THERE IS SMALL PROSPECT OF AGREEMENT WITHOUT SOME PAYMENT FROM OUR SIDE, ALSO THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO STAND FIRM
ON QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE, AND CANNOT THEREFORE AGREE TO PAY COMPENSATION AS OF RIGHT. WE THEREFORE SUPPORT APPROACH ON LINES
OF YOUR PROPOSED STATEMENT. WE HAVE HOWEVER FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS
ON STATEMENT ITSELF.
(A) MIGHT IT NOT BE BETTER TO AVOID USE OF WORD QUOTE PAYMENT UNQUOTE?
(B) IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A PAYMENT TO THE PRODUCTION BRIGADE (AND WE AGREE THIS WOULD BE THE BEST METHOD) WE WONDER WHETHER
THERE IS ANY REAL NEED TO TRY TO GET CHINESE TO ACCEPT THAT
THEY WOULD NOT MAKE PAYMENTS TO PERSONS INVOLVED IN ABDUCTION
OF KNIGHT OR OTHER ACTS OF VIOLENCE.
3. TO MEET POINTS AT (A) AND (B) ABOVE WE SUGGEST FOR YOUR CON- SIDERATION THAT RELEVANT PART OF STATEMENT MIGHT BE RE-WORDED ON FOLLOWING LINES:
QUOTE THE BRITISH SIDE ARE PREPARED TO MAKE AVAILABLE A SUM
OF DOLLARS HONG KONG 50,900 ETC. ETC. TO RELIEVE ANY HARDSHIP CAUSED TO THOSE WHO, THOUGH TAKING NO PART IN THE ABDUCTION OF
/SENIOR
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