to the Chinese that if they wished to take their
claim to jurisdiction to the International
Court at The Hague, we should be agreeable, on
the understanding that they would accept the
necessity for any administrative measures on
the part of the Hong Kong Government that
might be necessary within the area pending
submission of the question to the International
Court and would take active steps to ensure
that such measures were not made the subject
of public agitation in China.
5.
The possible objections to our mentioning
the International Court to the Chinese are the
doubts as to the strength of our case on purely
legal grounds and the possibility that the
Chinese might adopt the same line as the
have done over the case Poulish Honduras Guatemalansand suggest that the Court should
deal with the question on its merits as well
rethaugh wish a suggestione as on the purely legal aspect, This might not
in fact prove to be contrary to our interests.
On the other hand a reference to the Inter-
national Court seems to offer the only hope of
an eventual solution and, what is perhaps more
important, of reaching a position in the
meantime where, administrative action can be
taken with some assurance that it will not be
made the subject of artificially inspired
agitation in China.
There is also the point
that if we refer to the possibility of going
to the International Court in the manner
proposed and at the same time indicate that
had
this was a question which we, hoped might be
settled amicably between our two great nations
without recourse to such a procedure, the
Chinese may think again and come round to our
roposal for the garden of Remembrance.
6. I should