TNAG-0009-FCO40-45-Kowloon-disturbances-1967 — Page 139

En Clair

INWARD TELEGRAM

TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)

FROM HONG KONG (Information Office)

D. 15th May 1967

RECEVI ARCHIVE

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R. 15th

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1232Z

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34

Hong Kong Governor's statement for information.

This

Most members of the public will already be aware from their newspapers or from broadcasting services that a protest has been handed to the British Chargé d'Affaires in Peking regarding the events in Hong Kong over the last few days. statement describes police action as "persecution" and "suppression" and speaks of "hostile measures against China in Hong Kong"

.

Many people, I have no doubt, will be anxious to know what answer this Government is going to make to these statements. They may be disappointed when all we can say is that this protest has been made to the Representative of Her Majesty's Government in Peking and that an answer must therefore come from Her Majesty's Government in London. Yet this is the position and nothing at all would be gained by making observations from here.

However there is no reason why I should not recall the assurances which we have already given to the public about the maintenance of peace and order.

These include the assurance from the Commissioner of Labour that the police do not and will not involve themselves in labour disputes but will only enforce the law when it is: broken. They also include the assurance. given on the same day that the policy of the Government is now as always to maintain the law as impartially and as fairly as possible for the benefit of all; that there has been no change in this policy or in the Government's policy of not taking sides in industrial disputes.

I make no apology for repeating these assurances although they are not a comment upon the protest note to which I have referred. I repeat them because I am sure that the preservation of peace and order is the dearest wish of almost everyone in our community.

Distribution

Gad

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H.K. W.I.D. "C" I.G.D.

J.I.C. EXTERNAL DISTRIBUTION

Copies also sent to:-

Cabinet Office

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Foreign Office

警爨

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Hong Kong

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Government Office

LAST

RIF.

D.I.O., J.I.R.

Mr. de la Mare

REXI

Mr. Denson :

REF.

Mr. Wilson

Mr. Foggon

Ca

Mr. Boxall

PAR