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NOTHING
ΤΟ
BE
WRITTEN
IN THIS MARGIN.
Registry
No. F8942/1147/10
G. V. K.
Page 165
148
Grijerial sent
I hand 22/12
FOREIGI OFFICE, S. W. 1.
вы
December 1945.
Draft.
Mr. Paskin,
Colonial Office.
From Mr. Kitson.
Dear Paskin,
3713 100
Before he left for Moscow, Sterndale
Bennett asked me to raise with you Far Eastern
Civil Planning Unit paper Gen 77/47 of October
23rd 1945 on the subject of the status of
Hongkong. I enclose a copy of this paper for
convenience of reference.
We are not too happy about paragraph 10
argument put
which, I believe, represents
forward by the Colonial Office in support of
possibility 9(a), i.e. that Britain should make
no concessions to Chinese claims. We feel here
that it is an argument of doubtful validity and
that, in putting this matter to the Cabinet,
·
a better and more convincing case could be made
for a policy of "no concessions if it were
based on the considerations advanced in para-
graph 8(a), i.e. the fact that Hongkong is a
British creation, and we see no reason to yield
anything of the fruits of our labour and enter-
prise.
I suggest for your consideration the
following purely tentative draft alternative
to paragraph 10.
"In support of the contention that Britain
should make no concessions in this matter it
might be argued that Hongkong is a British
creation, that Britain has poured men, money
and materials into the building up of this
colony over the last 100 years from practically
nothing into one of the most flourishing sea
ports and trading centres of the world, and that
we/
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