TNAG-0022-FCO40-58-Facilities-for-US-Forces-1968 — Page 119

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in M.K.

H.K. pt. F.E.

Dept.

21.

SECRET

CYPHER/CAT A

PRIORITY COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1252

TO HONG KONG

2 JULY 1968 (F)

SECRET.

ADDRESSED TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 1252 OF 2 JULY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO PEKING WASHINGTON AND POLAD SINGAPORE.

216

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 817. UNITED STATES NAVAL VISITS.

NOW THAT THE VISIT OF TICONDEROGA HAS TAKEN PLACE WE ARE PURSUING OUR REVIEW OF NAVAL VISITS. WE AGREE GENERALLY WITH THE REASONS GIVEN 203) IN YOUR TELNO 739 IN FAVOUR OF A CONTINUATION OF VISITS WHICH IN OUR VIEW SHOULD NOT ALTOGETHER EXCLUDE LARGE OR NUCLEAR VESSELS. BUT WE FULLY ACCEPT THE POINT MADE BY SIR DONALD HOP SON THAT AS A RESULT OF LAST YEAR'S EVENTS IN HONG KONG WE MUST EXPECT THE CHINESE TO BE MORE SENSITIVE THAN BEFORE TO SUCH VISITS. WHATEVER THE EXTENT OF THEIR GENUINE FEARS ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF AMERICAN VESSELS OR THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH NAVAL VESSELS CAUSE INTERNALLY IN THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES IN CHINA, THE CHINESE SEEM LIKELY TO USE VISITS AS A PRETEXT FOR PREVENTING ANY IMPROVEMENT IN SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS AND IN PARTICULAR FOR HOLDING UP EXIT VISAS

FOR THE MISSION.

2. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS WE THINK THAT THE REVIEW SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN WASHINGTON AS THIS IS WHERE THE GUIDE LINES WERE ORIGINALLY NEGOTIATED. THE FOLLOWING ARE OUR SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THE LINE WHICH MIGHT BE TAKEN WITH THE AMERICANS. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND THOSE OF WASHINGTON AND PEKING IN THE LIGHT OF WHICH WE SHALL SUBMIT TO MINISTERS AND ISSUE FIRM INSTRUCTIONS:- (A) EXPLAIN TO THE AMERICANS ON THE LINES OF PARAGRAPH 1 ABOVE THE PARTICULAR DIFFICULTIES NOW ATTENDANT ON NAVAL VISITS: EMPHASISE THE NEED TO SPACE VISITS CAREFULLY, ESPECIALLY VISITS OF HEAVY VESSELS, BUT MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE DO NOT WISH AT PRESENT TO TERMINATE OR SUSPEND THE GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS UND

VISITS TAKE PLACE.

WHICH

(203)

(B) MAKE THE POINTS IN PARAGRAPH 8 OF YOUR TELNO 739 AND IN (190) PARAGRAPH 4 OF YOUR TELNO 703: IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF, AN THE

CONTEXT OF YOUR PARAGRAPH 4(C) YOU WOULD SPECIFY WHAT ARE REGARDED AS QUOTE PARTICULARLY CONTROVERSIAL SHIPS UNQUOTE APART FROM

THE QUOTE ENTERPRISE UNQUOTE.

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