CO537-3706 — Page 190

Cypher/OTP

POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION

14H

178

FROM NANKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE

Sir R.Stevenson,

0.155

D. 10.36 a.m. 12th February,

12th February, 1948.

1948.

R. 11.25 a.m. 12th February,

1948.

Repeated to Hong Kong. (M2 65 )

IMPORTANT

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No.155 February 12th, repeated to Hong Kong.

LIGHT

CONFIDENTIAL.

138

Your telegrams No.118 and 120 [sic] Canton outrage.

Apart from public expression of regret by Prime Minister and verbal statement to me by Ministry of Foreign Affairs to similar effect shortly after the event, the only reply so far received from Ministry of Foreign Affairs was note of January 26th quoted in my telegram No.93.

95

2. Written enquiry regarding results of investigations and intentions of this Government was addressed to Minister for Foreign Affairs on February 6th to which no reply has yet been returned. His Majesty's Minister accordingly communicated to Minister for Foreign Affairs today message in accordance with third peragraph of your telegram No.118. 3 Doctor Liu Shia Shun replied that Ministry of Foreign Affairs was still waiting for report of the enquiry (which was not apparently open to the public) conducted by special representatives of Ministry of the Interior upon which question of compensation etc., depended. He undertook to advise His Majesty's Embassy as soon as results of enquiry were available. In this connexion the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs said a number of suspects were under detention and interrogation. He made no (repeat no) reference to Kowloon incident.

3. With regard to first paragraph of your telegram No.118 I have impressed on Minister for Foreign Affairs that we consider the Canton outrage inexcusable on any grounds but there is little doubt that the Chinese Government- would like for purposes of prestige, to obtain firstly a settlement satisfactory to themselves of the Kowloon City affair which they would prefer to link up with Canton outrage as far as possible. I hope that we can prevent them delaying reparation for latter on this account, but the possibility that results of enquiry may try to minimise the seriousness of the case cannot be discounted. Our only recourse in that event would be to keep up the strongest possible pressure with the help if necessary of the appropriate {gprundoe] publicity.

F.O. please pass to Hong Kong as my telegram No.85.

[Copies sent to Colonial Office for repetition to

Hong Kong].

200

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