CO537-3707 — Page 13

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Sir C. Jeffries.

You should now see

(a) the reference to the Law Officers of the

Crown (which has now gone off on 54145/16/6/48) and

(b) the suggestions for a compromise

solution which have been put forward by Mr. Beckett of the Foreign Office in the extract at No. 238 on this file and by the Chinese Minister in the enclosure to No. 233 on this file.

We are I think all agreed that it would be very desirable to reach a compromise solution if one could be found which would be acceptable to both the Chinese and ourselves. But, as the preceding minutes on this file indicate, the search for a compromise solution is fraught with difficulties. Sir Sydney Abrahams (with whom I have discussed) agrees with me that it is almost impossible to deal with the complexities by correspondence and that the next move should be a meeting with the Foreign Office with a view to seeing to what extent it may be possible to devise an acceptable. compromise which

(a) would be free from the objections to

which attention has been drawn in the minutes and

(b) might also meet the objections of the

Chiefs of Staff as expressed in No. 237.

ll?

19.5.48.

I ape T. II.

21/5-

239 You - Tel 582

repeat of Nanking tel No 446

Meeting held tony

7.0.

C.o.

6 Fo.

Present:-

23.5-48

The Searlett, Ph. Sertt, In. Vallet- fir firmy Ahuchons, Th. Sidebotom

Mr. Radford, Mh. Wscan.

h.

27/5