TNAG-0020-FCO40-56-Facilities-for-US-Forces-1967 — Page 55

SECRET

INWARD TELEGRAM

TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)

FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)

Cypher

D. 3rd April 1967 R. 3rd

11.00 hrs.

80

1967

IMMEDIATE SECRET No.426

Addressed to Commonwealth Office (D.T.D.) Repeated Peking No.147

"Washington PRIORITY No.83

(Commonwealth Office please pass

to both)

(n) o (19)

Your telegrams Nos.632 and 635.

(25)

Visits of U.S. Warships.

It is true that the number of U.S. ships visiting Hong Kong in 1966 was 391, a figure slightly more than 20% above the 1964 figure of 315. For the first three months of this year the figure of visits has been 94 as compared with 82 in 1966: this is indeed a 14% increase for this particular quarter, but if the number of visits for the rest of 1967 were to be kept steady at the January to March level, the total figure for the year would be 376, 1.e. below the 1966 figure.

2.

In fact the pattern of visits varies from month to month for operational and other reasons and comparisons between the numbers over relatively short periods can be misleading. It would be awkward from a practical point of view to adopt a system which kept e.g. the monthly or quarterly totals of visits rigidly at the level of the previous year.

Nevertheless,

I consider that we should aim to keep the total number of visits for the whole of 1967 at no more than the 1966 level, and I expect no difficulty in working out arrangements for this with the Americans through our local liaison machinery.

3. I entirely agree with Peking telegram No.338 to the Foreign Office about publicity for U.S. ships which have just completed visits to Hong Kong. This is the sort of point, however, which we cannot expect the U.S. Consulate-General here to be able to take effective action: and I hope that it can be pursued with the U.S. Government direct, presumably in Washington.

(Passed as requested)

LAST

Mr. Bolland Mr. Denson Henn

Mr.

RECEIVED IN

ARCHIVES No.63

· 3 APR.70/

Copies sent to:

Foreign Office

Ministry of Defence

SECRET

REF

(79)

NWBY

୯

83