COPY
(F2286/1325/10)
No. 47 (6/211/46) Copies to:
Sir,
Foreign Office No. 107 Kunming No. 15 Govt. of Burma No. 5 Govt. of India No. 14
156
BRITISH EMBASSY,
CHUNGKING.
24th January, 1948.
In my note No. 151 (61/9/45) of the 9th August to His Excellency Dr. K. C. Wu, at that time acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, regarding the graves of Chinese troops who fell in the Burma campaign, I had the honour to state that the Chinese Government's proposals contained in His Excellency's Dr. Soong's note of the 1st August had been referred to the competent authorities for consideration. I am pleased to be able to inform Your Excellency that I have now been authorised by His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to reply in the following sense.
In the case of the five war cemeteries situated in Burma the Government of Burma will, in accordance with international usage in these matters, be happy to make a rent-free grant of land to a formally constituted Chinese body, with the right to construct cemeteries thereon and maintain them in perpetuity. The Government of Burma will further be willing to allow a specified number of persons appointed as caretakers to live within the limits of each such grant, accompanied, subject to the prior approval in each case of the Government of Burma, by their families. The Chinese Government will, however, appreciate that no trade or profession can be carried on within the limits of the territory granted. The Government of Burma would issue to each caretaker a certificate in the form indicated by the enclosed specimen.
The Government of Burma have noted that, according to the list enclosed in Dr. Soong's note of the 1st August, it is suggested that some of the caretakers should be armed. The Government of Burma regret that they would be unable to agree to this proposal.
As regards the cemetery in Ledo, the Governor of Assama agrees to the lease of land in question and has no objection to the grant of residential permits to suitable caretakers.
I should be grateful if Your Excellency would be good enough to bring this communication, which I hope will prove to be agreeable to the Chinese Government, to the notice of the competent authorities, and I should also be grateful to learn as soon as possible, should this offer be accepted, the name and designation of the Chinese body constituted for the purpose of administering these cemeteries.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurance of my highest consideration.
(Sgd.) H.J. Seymour
His Excellency
Dr. Wang Shih-chieh,
Minister for Foreign Affairs,
CHUNGKING.