Cypher/OTH
Confidential.
OUTWARD TELEGRAM
157
Mir WI Wallan
POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION.
FROM FOREIGN OFFICE TO NANKING,
No. 100.
D. 12.15 p.m. 4th February 1948.
3rd February 1948.
Repeated to Hong Kong.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Addressed to Nanking telegram No.100 of
February 3rd, repeated for Information to Hong Kong.
(113)
Your telegram No.116: Kowloon City.
Chinese Minister has just called on the Department on instructions from Nanking to press for the speediest possible settlement of the Kowloon City issue. The line he took was similar to that quoted in paragraph 2 of your telegram under reference with the additional point that Chinese Government were especially anxious lest popular feeling over the two arrested men should lead to demonstrations petitioning for their release. He urged that their situation should be reconsidered. It was surely possible for the Hong Kong Government to find some means of eliminating this element of danger. Could they not, for instance, hand the men over to the Canton authorities?
Dr. Tuan was given no reason to think that this suggestion would commend itself to the Governor of Hong Kong. On the general question he was assured that His Majesty's Government was as eager as his own Government to see the Kowloon issue amicably settled and that proposals to this end were being urgently prepared.
I am glad to see that you have already obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs an undertaking to discourage "Comfort Missions" to Kowloon squatters, but in the light of the above conversation I think it of importance to keep up the pressure.
W:W:W:W