935
GR 200
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPP
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 230955Z NOV 24
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 3596 OF 23 NOVEMBER
INFO PRIORITY PEKING AND UKMIS NEW YORK
HKK
RECEIVED
DE
INDEX
040/1
AGISTRY
26 NOV 1934
FFICER
PA
Y
on Taken
PEKING TELNO 2806: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: REGISTRATION AT THE 7PM 26 Bx 28/1
NATIONS
UNITE
1. I CAN SEE THAT FROM THE PEKING POINT OF VIEW THERE WOULD BE SOME MERIT IN PUTTING THE ISSUE OF REGISTRATION ON ONE SIDE UNTIL AFTER RATIFICATION HAS TAKEN PLACE. SUCH A COURSE WOULD, HOWEVER, MEAN THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE, IN THE RUN UP TO RATIFICATION, ΤΟ PROVIDE ANY CLEAR ANSWER TO QUESTIONS ON WHAT WE INTEND TO DO ABOUT REGISTRATION. WE WOULD HAVE TO STICK PUBLICLY TO THE LINE THAT IT IS HMG'S NORMAL PRACTICE TO REGISTER INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO FEND OFF QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT THE CHINESE INTEND TO DO AND MIGHT HAVE TO ADMIT THAT WE HAD NOT DISCUSSED THE QUESTION WITH THEM. THIS WOULD NOT BE A CREDIBLE POSITION HERE.
2. MY PREFERENCE, WOULD THEREFORE BE TO APPROACH THE CHINESE ABOUT JOINT REGISTRATION BETWEEN SIGNATURE AND RATIFICATION: (BUT TO WAIT UNTIL SHORTLY BEFORE RATIFICATION WOULD CARRY MOST OF THE SDISADVANTAGES SET OUT ABOVE). I DO NOT SEE THAT WE NEED BE TOO
CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK OF A DISPUTE WITH THE CHINESE. INDEED, THE FACT THAT THE AGREEMENT HAD NOT YET BEEN RATIFIED MIGHT GIVE US SOME SMALL LEVERAGE.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
KR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE KR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE
SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195
CONFIDENTIAL