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बिट
29
BAITISH SABA JSY,
Eut
BUSCJw.
20th January, 1950.
(27) on '48.
(7) m2+9.
(2) on '49.
Dear Department,
Please refer to Foreign office despatch No. 974 (N 12804/1485/38) of the 6th December, 1948, about the Soviet ships wrecked at Hongkong, and to our series of notes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the subject ening with the ne copied to you under our printed
espatch no. 318 of the 15th sentember, 1949.
It is now over a year since we first approached the Soviet authorities, and there has been no reply at all from them. This is a long enough period of silence, eve in Voscow, to suggest that no satisfactory reply will be fortheoming, and probably no reply at all, unleas some more powerful stimulus is applied than a succession of quarterly reminders.
we wnder therefore what progress has been made at your end with the investigations into the possibility of presenting the Russiaze with an ultimatum threatening unilateral disposal of the ships (Zackenzie's letter to Miss Ruston & 2534/1391/38 of the 2nd July, 1949). in cases of 1 viet passive```obstruction such as this, if there is the possibility of resolving the matter to our advantage by Milateral action, we feel rather strongly that we should not hesitate to use it. we do not know the whole story, of course, but we would suggest that if an ultimat im im in order the time has come to present it; and even failing this we should like to present the inistry of Foreign Affaire with something more peremptory than a simple reminder.
ve are accordingly sending ia no further reminder pending your reply.
e enclose copies of this letter in case they are wanted for the Colonial ffice and Ministry of Transpɔrt.
Borthern Department,
Fukaluk D 104.
Yours ever,
CHAZERY.