(F 6735/130/10)
DRAFT TELEORAM
September, 1957.
91
Sir Robert Craigie,
Ho.....
Tokyo.
Hong Kong telegrame Nos. 196 and 300,
repeated to you as Nos. 11 and 12 (of the 18th
and 22nd September; sinking by Japanese of
Chinese fishing vessels supplying Hong Kong).
If you see no objection, please take up
this matter informally with the Japanese
Government. China adhered in 1917 to Rague
Convention No. 11, of which Article 3 covers
this case. Formal representations cannot,
however, be based on Convention, as (a) no state
of war exists and (b) it would be for the
[ ]
Chinese to invoke Convention;
you can
nevertheless appeal to it.
Moreover, even in
time of war there would be no right to sink or
destroy these vessels, even if they were not
exempt from capture.
Arguments on which you should chiefly rely
and Molely for
for the
are that the boats are utilised/ solel;
supply of foodstuffs to the population of Hong
Kong