CO537-6046 — Page 6

their letter on the subject. You will see that they

have no comments on the proposals as such, but they do

consider it undesirable to take steps which are "virtually

certain to provoke a propaganda attack at a time when the Far

(62)

Eastern situation is particularly serious; and, moreover, to give

them" (the Central Peoples Government) "a handle on a matter

regarding which they have been noticeably silent in recent

months". You will remember that the Secretary of State

expressed somewhat similar fears when you discussed the

constitution issue with him on the 5th July last.

Needless to

say, we here are very conscious of the force of the argument

eferred to at the conclusion of para.3 of the Foreign Office

Ketti

letter, but since we discussed with you the situation

in Korea and the Far East generally has changed considerably

for the worse, and we should like to be sure that you still

feel that despite this we should go ahead with constitutional

reform, or whether you recommend that we should face the

various difficulties and disadvantages which further

postponement would no doubt involve.

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