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COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.)
HW
IMMEDIATE
HONG KONG
ΤΟ
Telno. 1757
24 November 1967
SECRET
(84/6/1)
34
Communist Press.
I refer to Special Branch Paper dated 9 November, Colonial Secretariat Paper dated 16 November, and Special Branch comments on that Paper dated 20 November which were recently sent to Galsworthy.
2.
During Minister's recent visit to Hong Kong I was informed that, in view of the continuing delicate situation of our Mission in Peking, further action against the remaining Communist news- papers was dependent upon whether such action was considered essential to the maintenance of law and order within the Colony. You will appreciate that it is very difficult to assess whether any particular single action is essential in this context. Nevertheless, I consider that some action to curtail the Communist Press is essential if government is not to lose ground steadily, whilst the Communists consolidate their position, Their is little doubt that eventually we shall be forced to take action unless we are prepared to abdicate our authority. Certainly this lack of action is regarded by the Communists and a large proportion of the population as weakness on the part of government.
30 As you are aware, when action was taken against the three minor newspapers in the summer, it was envisaged that eventually equally firm action against the remaining Communist newspapers would have to be taken or possibly face a humiliating setback 22) (your telegram 1582 refers).
40 I am now firmly of the opinion that further action against the remaining Communist newspapers is at least highly desirable if not absolutely essential. I strongly recommend that approval be given to action being taken in the first instance against the three remaining non-CPG Press (The Ching Po Daily, The Hong Kong Commercial Daily and The Cheng Wu Po). If this action does not bring about an improvement in the remaining Communist newspapers, then action against them would also have to be taken soon.
50
In such matters, timing, either way, is of paramount importance and therefore I would have liked your approval to take action in our own time as the circumstances dictate, bearing in mind that, once the decision is taken, it may be some days before the case is brought to court. However, I appreciate that, having regard to the position of Grey and our Mission in Peking, the question of timing is equally important from London's point of view, and therefore you may not, at the present time, wish to give me this discretion.
J.
AR
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111W0.4/22
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102