GR 500
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 190410Z
CONFIDENTIAL
Original
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FECO
This Copy for : Information only/Action es
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 626 OF 19 JUNE
INFO PRIORITY PEKING.
CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR THE DEATH OF CHAIRMAN MAỮ,
@
WHEN CHOU EN-AI DIED A BOOK OF CONDOLENCE WAS OPENED IN
THE BANK OF CHINA AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER SIGNED ON MY
BEHALF, PREVIOUSLY INFORMING NONA THAT HE WOULD DO SO. A SMALL
DELEGATION OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF UMELCO HEADED BY THE SENIOR
MEMBER ALSO SIGNED AT A SEPARATE TIME. ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE
ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY NCNA WERE CORRECT AND APPRECIATIVE.
2. IT WAS NOTICEABLE THAT LOCAL REACTIONS TO CHOU'S DEATH'
MANIFESTED GENUINE GRIEF AND RESPECT LARGELY WITHOUT POLITICAL
CONNOTATIONS, THOUGH THE EVENT WAS EXPLOITED BY LOCAL COMMUNISTS ALONG UNITED FRONT LINES. OFFICIAL PARTICIPATION OF THE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT IN THE WAY DESCRIBED ABOVE MET WITH GENERAL PUBLIC
APPROVAL. IN THE CASE OF MAO WE EXPECT THE CEREMONY AND PUBLIC REACTION TO BE SIMILAR BUT ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE.
3. AS PART OF LOCAL CONTINGENCY PLANNING WE HAVE BEEN
CONSIDERING WHETHER I SHOULD GO IN PERSON TO THE BANK OF CHINA TO SIGN THE BOOK OF CONDOLENCE.
4. THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST ARE:
(A) IT MIGHT CREATE A PRECEDENT OBLIGING ME TO SIGN BOOKS AT CONSULATES GENERAL ON DEATH OF HEADS OF STATE REPRESENTED HERE.
THE NORMAL PROCEDURE IS FOR THE ADC TO SIGN↑
(B) MUCH MORE IMPORTANT, IT MIGHT SEEM SUBSERVIENT TO THE CPC:
(C) IT WOULD BE EXPLOITED FOR UNITED FRONT PURPOSES:
(D) IT WOULD UPSET LOCAL ANTI-COMMUNIST OPINION.