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This telegram is of articular secrecy and should be
retained by the authorised recipient and not passed on 7.
VAN CABIRT I:TRIBUTION
FROM CHINA
FROM CHUNGKING TO FOREIGN OF ICE
Sir H. Seymour No. 1651
7th December, 1942.
D. 10. 20 p.m. 7th December, 1942.
R.
4.00 p.m. 8th December, 1942.
Your telegram No. 1651 [sic].
In view of what I have already said to Minister for Foreign Affairs (my telegram No. 1552) it should come as no surprise that His Majesty's Government consider New Territories as outside the scope of the treaty but it is impossible to say with certainty at this stage whether introduction of this question into the present treaty negotiations is a try on on the part of the Chinese or whether they will make an issue of it. I think the latter more probable. I feel sure that the Chinese will not willingly acquiesce on continuance of lease after the war.
2. I agree that the best course would be to stand if we can on a simple refusal to incluus new territories. But it may well prove necessary to make some statement to show question is not indefinitely shelved and I submit the following comments.
3. As regards the statement proposed in paragraph 3 of your telegram, Chinese will probably read it as expression of our intention that lease shall continue and I should expect them to ask whether the reconstruction we contemplate affects Hong Kong also. I suggest I might, when informing Minister for Foreign Affairs that His Majesty's Government regard Now Territories as outside the scope of the present treaty, add that we consider that any adjustments in such areas involving interests of more than one country and of great strategical importance must be left for peace settlement. I think this would be enough to start with. If the Chinese want further explanation I think we should spontaneously make a further statement on the line you suggest but editing it somewhat so as to make it explicit and not only implicit that we also mean to put something into the pool and avoiding the use of the words "during current lease". I doubt however whether the Chinese in their present mood will be satisfied with anything but an assurance that the question of the lease will be reviewed after the war.
4. If Minister for Foreign Affairs is ready to resume treaty discussions before your reply to this telegram arrives, I will confine myself to speaking as directed in paragraph 2 of your telegram No. 1548.
O.T.F.
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