CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
201
IMMEDIATE FOREIGN OFFICE TO PEKING
TELNO 628
7 JUNE, 1968 (F)
CONFIDENTIAL.
ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NUMBER 628 OF 7 JUNE REPEATED
FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG WASHINGTON AND POLAD SINGAPORE. 179)
YOUR TELNO 491: USS ENTERPRISE.
WE DO NOT CONSIDER THAT IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES YOU SHOULD RETURN THE CHINESE NOTE. WE PREFER TO MAKE A REPLY TO THE CHINESE ALLEGATIONS. WE HAVE REPLIED TO ALL THE PREVIOUS CHINESE NOTES ON THIS SUBJECT AND WISH TO RESPOND TO THIS PROTEST IN THE MOST QUOTE NORMAL UNQUOTE MANNER WE CAN. WE DO NOT WISH THE CHINESE, OR THE PUBLIC IN HONG KONG, TO BELIEVE THAT THE SHARPER TONE OF THEIR PROTEST HAS ON THIS OCCASION STRUCK US DUMB. THE CONTENTS OF THE CHINESE NOTE ARE ALREADY KNOWN HERE AND WE SHALL IN ANY CASE BE EXPECTED NOT TO LET THE CHINESE ALLEGATIONS PASS UN- CHALLENGED, PARTICULARLY WHEN EXPRESSED IN THESE TERMS.
2. WE ACCEPT THAT THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THE PROTEST HAS BEEN DELIVERED IS NEW, COMING AS IT DOES AFTER THE EVENTS OF 1967. HOWEVER, WE DO NOT CONSIDER THAT ALL COMPARISON WITH PAST PROTESTS 193) IS MEANINGLESS (YOUR TELNO 511). WITH CERTAIN SPECIFIC EXCEPTIONS
(E.G. REFERENCETO THE EVENTS OF 1967: THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TERM QUOTE LOGISTICS CENTRE UNQUOTE: AND THE DEMAND FOR THE IMMEDIATE DEPARTURE OF THE QUOTE ENTERPRISE UNQUOTE) THE NOTE GIVES EVERY SIGN OF BEING CONSCIOUSLY BASED ON ITS PREDECESSORS.
3. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS AND THOSE OF THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG WE SHOULD LIKE YOU TO SEND A NOTE TO THE CHINESE ON THE LINES OF YOUR COMMENTS AT THE INTERVIEW WITH LO KUEI-PO ON 27 MAY (YOUR (176) ELNO 487). A SUGGESTED TEXT FOR COMMENT BY YOU AND THE GOVERN-
OR IS IN Mol.F.T.
SOSFA
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F.0.
F.E.D.
S. E. AD
DEFENCE DEPT. AMERICAN DEPT. RESEARCH DEPT. NEWS DEPT.
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C.O. H.K.De
DEFENCE DEPT. F.E. & P.D.
NEWS DEPT.
DIS MOD
CONFIDENTIAL
RACCIVED
AR
10 JUN 1968
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