C
Sud (185) 0 (19!
1183
Cypher/OTP
POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION
FROM NANKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Sir R. Stevenson No. 229
3rd March, 1948.
Repeated to Hong Kong.
MOST IMMEDIATE
LIGHT
D. 5.02 p.m. 3rd March, 1948
R. 5.18 p.m. 3rd March, 1948.
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 229 of March 3rd repeated for information to Hong Kong.
2
Your telegrams Nos. 189 and 194. Kowloon.
I had a long discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs this afternoon. Eventually and after much [? omission] Minister for Foreign Affairs said the Chinese Government would accept the proposal for a Garden of Remembrance administered by two trustees (Colonial Secretary and Special Commissioner for Foreign Affairs of Kwangtung and Kwangsi) under a set of rules which should be elaborated by the trustees (subject to final approval by the two 'Governments), provided His Majesty's Government on their side would agree to a small portion of the area (say one sixth) being set aside for construction thereon of an office for the Special Commissioner.
2. In reply to my protest that he was complicating matters by trying to combine two different proposals, the Minister for Foreign Affairs said the object of the Chinese Government was to reach a settlement of this issue which would obviate trouble in the future. He assured me that if His Majesty's Government would agree to the construction on part of the area of an office for the Special Commissioner it would make it possible for Chinese Government to co-operate effectively in putting main proposal into effect (i.e., in ensuring peaceful evacuation of the area) and in preventing any trouble in future. I promised to transmit his representations to you but expressed the fear that they would only lead to further delay.
3.
I discussed at length with him the point raised in third paragraph of your telegram No. 194 and suggested an exchange of notes, not for publication, covering it. He did not deny that in practice the law of the colony should apply to the Garden of Remembrance but said in no circumstances could Chinese Government agree to including any admission to that effect in an official document whether published or not. He argued that all practical contingencies of this kind should be covered by rule of administration to be worked out by two trustees.
/4. He agreed