CONFIDENTIAL
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undermine our policy of preventing Foviet penetration of
Hong Kong. In a note dated 10 October the Russian Embassy
was therefore informed that the FCC regretted that it was
"not convenient" for the 'Dimitry Mendeleev' to visit
Hong Kong on the dates in questión.
8. It would be similarly difficult to justify this
decision in a way that the Russians could not publicly
ridicule. If the Soviet authorities raise it the Minister
might wish to say no more than that in these matters Hong
Kong is self-evidently a special case.
Hong Kong & General Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
11 October 1977
CONFIDENTIAL