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CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 201380Z
TO IMMEDIATE D T I TELNO CREDA 111 OF 26TH SEPTEMBER, 1973. INFO F C O(FOR STUART (HKIOD)) AND FINLAYSON (EPD) E.C.G.D. (FOR COTTERILL).
FOR WATSON (OPG) FROM ASTON.
M.T.S.
PA
227 14
D.T.1.(CRE) JEG D ATTRED
SINCE TELEPHONING YOU LAST EVENING IN RESPONSE TO YOUR CREDA 214 132 TO GIVE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO ME UP TO THAT TIME (SOURCE
WAS WILKINS), CODD - ON BRIEF TRANSIT STOP BETWEEN TAIWAN AND SINGAPORE HAS HAD OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ON PERSONAL BASIS WITH CHAN WHO IS CLOSER TO THE PAPER WORK ON RPOCEDURE AND GENERAL STRATEGY BUT WHOSE INTERPRETATION DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THAT GIVEN BY WILKINS. I HAVE ALSO HAD BRIEF DISCUSSION WITH
SIR D CLAGUE ON HIS FIRST DAY BACK FROM U.K.
2 FOLLOWING IS OUR JOINT READING OF THE SITUATION IN LIGHT OF
THESE CONVERSATIONS.
JAPANESE POSITION.
3. THE JAPANESE HAVE MADE A ''POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING** RESPONSE TO STEERING GROUP REQUIREMENTS. THEY HAVE INDICATED READINESS TO TRY TO MEET THE DESIDERATA AND HAVE NOT STATED ANY QUALIFICATIONS ON CEILING PRICE CONCEPT OR THE FIGURE.
BUT NEITHER HAVE THEY YET POSITIVELY STATED THAT THEY ACCEPT THE
FIGURE.