2.
certainly did not wish to have to do so. I handed
him a copy of your memorandum of April 2nd to Chinese
Minister in London to make attitude of His Majesty's
Government clear.
There must be some give and take and so far it
was we who were doing major part of the giving. No
other Power was going as far as we and May 5th was a
matter of Chinese domestic politics not of ours.
4. As we were making no headway I asked him if
there was anything we could do to ease his government's
position vis-à-vis public opinion if they met us?
But he professed to have no ideas.
5. Reverting to period of 10 years I admitted
the possibility that as regards legal safeguards e.g.
counsellors, etc., some shorter period might be
possible. But that was a matter for discussion once
principle of reserved areas was agreed.
6. I shall now let time work and see whether
Chinese make any practical counter suggestions.
Imminence of May 5th should be an incentive.
Addressed to Foreign Office No. 112 of April 20th,
repeated to Peking.
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