Cypher
CONFIDENTIAL
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
D. 24 May, 1967. R. 24
07502
103
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES N.63
25 17::
HWA?/
PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIAL
No. 684
Addressed to Commonwealth Office (D.T.D.)
Repeated
Washington No.136
Peking No.257
#1
Saigon No.52
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P.A. Singapore No.125
tt
(S. of S. please pass to all)
STRATTON
Noo
My telegram No. 669.
U.S. Facilities.
Hong Kong Standard today prominently prints a
Reuter story to the effect that American troops are continuing to fly to Hong Kong for local leave from Vietnam.
"Military officials" are reported as saying that an
average of 145 soldiers a day fly here from South Vietnam.
2. This is a grossly unhelpful statement at the present time. Our understanding has always been that precise numbers of U.S. troops coming here on these visits should not be revealed to the general public. The Chinese hitherto have not made much of this aspect of American activities here, but the present statement is as good as an invitation to them to do so.
3.
The statement will also complicate the question of getting the U.S. Consulate General here to cut the number of men coming on these visits by half. But we intend nevertheless to pursue that proposal with themang
(Passed as requested)
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