CO537-4825 — Page 55

what effect this would be likely to have on

recruitment for HKVDF?

(my top secret telegram

No.1242

значав

refers)

any reliable

are available for this work:

iv) whether Hong Kong Police could be reliably

sed on such work? (paragraph 4 of your despatch

41 refers).

whether re cessary supplies of barbed wire

tc. are readily available?

(vi) what probable political effect would be

(1) in Hong Kong and

(2) in China,

Ishid. He stateful also for)

and in general to receive your assessment of

bility

desira- or otherwise of adopting such a

step, in the general interest of security and

the well being of the existing population of

Hong Kong, before an actual influx of refugees

on a large scale starts.

5.

night

I appreciate that to do so weld involve

a substantial modification of existing policy

in relation to free entry of Chinese from

China which forms the subject of separate

correspondence, and of Hong Kong's existing

attitude towards presence of communist

sympathisers in Hong Kong. Very careful

consideration would, of course have to be given to that aspect in consultation with the

Foreign Office.

6.

But I have not sufficient information to

enable me to know whether it would be practicable

to close the land frontier if, on other grounds

this were felt to be desirable.

I should

therefore be grateful if you would telegraph

information as soon as possible.

7. Cost of operation would no doubt be

very considerable and an estimate of this should

be telegraphed later please,

SECER

1

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