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on the American use of the Colony. An agreement was reached on
31st May; this controls the purposes for which American forces may visit
Hong Kong (i.e. for rest and recreation only), the numbers of troops from
Vietnam who may visit, the visits of naval vessels, the nature of
facilities to be provided etc.
14. Some difficulties have arisen with the Americans over the visits
of their nuclear powered ships to Hong Kong. These are always likely
to provoke a Chinese reaction and the political consequencies of each
visit have to be carefully assessed by the Hong Kong Government.
Furthermore the Americans have not always seen eye to eye with us on
the conditions which H.M.G. imposes, on safety grounds, in all British
ports (both at home and overseas). H.M.G. policy (which is applied
in Hong Kong requires that nuclear powered vessels shall only be
accepted if (a) advance information is given and (b) a shore-based
monitoring team is available. We think that the position in Hong Kong
is now fully understood and accepted by the Americans.
15. The Americans have accepted the need for discretion in their
use of Hong Kong. It is clear however that pressure for increased
facilities will remain while the Vietnam War continues. The Governor
of Hong Kong fully understands the need to give what help he can to
our U.S. allies in South East Asia; the U.S. is the Colony's largest
trading partner, and from this point of view alone Hong Kong cannot
afford to forfeit American sympathies. Any sudden or large scale increase
in the number of troops visiting Hong Kong from Vietnam would however
involve considerable political risks, in view of the formal Chinese
warning on this subject. It is considered essential therefore to avoid
making any public acknowledgment that large or special facilities are
being made available to American forces under arrangements with the
Government of the colony. It is part of our case that the facilities
provided are the normal quite innocent services available to all
personnel, ships etc. in any major port.
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/Border Incidents
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