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(1) More of the Mission's old staff and servants were still
with us than I had expected. Almost without exception
however they were extremely frightened of the consequences
of performing anything but strictly routine actions.
(1) The level of political meetings, groups marching in the
streets etc. as casually observed was little different
from 1966.
(k) I detected no particular hostility towards foreigners,
though we attracted the usual curious stares.
(1) The inexact definition of the bounds in the Poking area
within which diplomats may moge has inhibited many from
moving at all. The Chinese are no doubt well pleased,
but it is not a situation which should be encouraged.
Ulan Bator
(a) The Mongolians, as the Chargé d'Affaires had divined, were
anxious to pump me on a variety of subjects ranging from
the internal scene in China to Cambodia and the prospects
of British entry into R.E.C.
(b) They denied that there had been any incidents in the Sino/
Mongolian frontier, but asked whether I had seen signs of
(c)
a Chinese military build-up to which I said no.
Despite the rival attraction of a Cuban delegation led by
Raul Castrol I was extremely well received by the Mongolians
who were, I think, genuinely pleased to receive such a visit.
(a) Strangely enough the only subject on which they proved
obdurate was when I raised the question of a visa for the
Times correspondent in Moscow. This could be best
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/pursued