TNAG-0020-FCO40-56-Facilities-for-US-Forces-1967 — Page 32

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Sir A. Galsworthy

A visit to Hong Kong by a U.S. nuclear-powered ship the destroyer "BAINBRIDGE" is scheduled for 19th 24th May:

telegrams at (89) and (92) refer.

The Governor and Peking (see telegram at (90)) do not rate as high the prospects of a Chinese reaction. The Foreign Office, with whom I have discussed this, agree with this assessment.

3.

The Governor proposes to warn the Americans that, if there is trouble in Hong Kong over the damage done by American aircraft to the "DARTFORD" while in Haiphong, permission for this and other scheduled visits may have to be curtailed or cancelled. So far there has been a very limited reaction in the Hong Kong Chinese press to this incident; there is no evidence of a sustained campaign: the last press reference known to us was in last Saturday's papers.

4.

I understand that the Minister of State has expressed doubts about permitting nuclear-powered U.S. ships to visit Hong Kong. To impose any general ban on visits by such ships at this stage would, in the view of the Foreign Office, lead to very considerable difficulties with the Americans. Apart from this aspect, there are wider considerations which the Ministry of Defence would undoubtedly urge very strongly namely our own interests, as a

possessor of nuclear-powered ships, in avoiding discrimination against them.

5.

There have been a number of such visits in the last two years (including a previous visit by the "BAINBRIDGE") and we have on at least one occasion asked the Americans to defer a visit where the timing presented particular difficulty (i.e. the carrier "ENTERPRISE" in May last year). But we have not refused a visit, or in any way indicated that such visits were unlikely to be altogether unacceptable. we have given assurances to the contrary.

In fact A misunderstanding over the reasons why we asked for deferment of the visit by the "ENTERPRISE" was taken up by the Americans at ministerial level : in this connection, please see the record of the meeting between the U.S. Navy Secretary and the Navy Minister at E/174 on previous papers, particularly the assurance given by Mr. Mallalieu side-lined.

Admittedly, visits by nuclear-powered ships have been mentioned in the second and third Chinese notes of protest and were the occasion for these protests. always been and remains the F.0. assessment that such protests

But it has have been for the record (on a par with their warnings to us and the Americans on the Vietnam issue) and do not portend hostile Chinese action against the Colony. correct in the past and I see no evidence to show that

This has proved continuing visits by nuclear-powered vessels will present any special threat to Hong Kong's position in the future. latter point is, of course, our narrow departmental interest in the matter.

This

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In the absence of any recommendation by the Governor for postponement or cancellation and since there is no reason to believe that a dangerous reaction is to be expected, it would be very difficult for us to urge with other departments & case for refusing this visit.

? We may concur with the course of action proposed

by the Governor in paragraph 3 of (92).

P.T.O.

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Са (W.S.Carter)

5th May, 1967.

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