speaking generally, it is in the interests of the Governments of India and Pakistan themselves to prevent communists going to Hong Kong, but there may well be individual cases where they will be glad to get rid of an individual, and the mere fact that his entry into Hong Kong would not be in Hong Kong's interest would not in itself deter them from allowing him to go.
Another point is the one which we have already made in
(1)-paragraph 3 of my letter to Hunt of 23rd June enclosed in my letter
1137-
to you of the same date. This applies to Pakistanis and Indians living outside their own country, and particularly in foreign countries. We ought, we feel, to lay on arrangements whereby these cases may be referred to New Delhi or Karachi, as the case may be, for security vetting, but unless there is a definite agreement between the Government of Hong Kong on the one hand, and the Indian and Pakistan Governments on the other, we can hardly ask the Foreign Office to instruct British Consuls to get a security check from the Home Government of the applicant.
In these circumstances we should be grateful if you would point out to the Government of Hong Kong the need for putting the new arrangements on a definite basis. The letter from India House to you of 19th August seems an opportunity for this to be done, so far as India is concerned. We should propose to approve the line of approach proposed in paragraph 3 of the
6- telegram X1116 of 17th June from the United Kingdom High Commissioner at
New Delhi.
Yours sincerely,
TH Clechery
DEFENCE & GENERAL
12 SEP 1949 REGISTRY