TNAG-0022-FCO40-58-Facilities-for-US-Forces-1968 — Page 29

however until the middle of 1969, at the earliest.

(c) Other large ships could be classified broadly as follows:

(1) "particularly controversial" ships, 1.e. those which were

nuclear-powered;

(11) "potentially controversial" ships, i.e. strike carriers;

(ii) other larze ships.

The Governor believed that the significance of these types of

vessels had been overestimated and that the local Communists in

Hong dong made an issue of a visit only if there had been prior

press interest regarðing the activities of the vessel in ques-

tion in Vietnam waters. The Governor pointed out that the Com-

muniste did not distinguish between visiting vessele of varying

eizes, nor did they make an issue of one type rather than another

t for nuclaer-powered vessels. On the basis of the above

vernon ergued that the length of the gap between visita of

major units he no sinificnca in Chinese eyess and recommended

that a iznificant gap was unnecessary, although he conceded that

the overlapping in Hong Kong of large chips would continue to be

the

;

avoided.

(1) The Governor agreed that the time was not right formally to

rovise the guidelines and tt arrangements for suitable spacing

of the visits of nuclear vessels could be negotiated locally

with the Americana.

(૭) The Governor emphasise that there was no boeie for allega-

tions thet Hong Kong was being used by the United States 23 a

logistics base and no revision of the guideline of this point

was therefore required.

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