CO129-497 - Public Offices - 1926 — Page 161

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under their control on all questions including if

they like, *immediate alteration" of existing

treaties. This of course means recognition in

fact. All this provided only that Southern

government for their part (a) declare officially

that existing treaties and engagements stand until

altered by negotiation (see Chen's own wording of

proposed counter declaration by Southern govern-

ment my telegram No. 7 from Henkow;) and (b) that

they undertake to put a stop pending negotiations

to present anti-British agitation.

3. Having got so far we would then if pressed

state our readiness to discuss at once general

principles only of treaty revision. If Chen

wished to get to immediate business and to go into

details we should have to put brake on as far £8

possible. I should of course have to go down

to Hankow myself for the purpose if I had not

already done so. I do not believe however that

the Southern government are technically equipped

for taking up detailed negotiations at once;; and

we might then be able to spin things out a bit

which would be all to the good so long as we can

do so decently and without bad faith,

4.

This naturally pre-supposes that we are

clear in our own minds how far we can go if we

have in fact to get down to actual revision.

this I will submit recomendations as soon ac

possible.

On

5/

!

G.P.0.

rade