TNAG-0022-FCO40-58-Facilities-for-US-Forces-1968 — Page 4

CYPHER/CAT A

FROM PRICEITY HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1012

SECRET.

SECRET

TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

21 AUGUST 1968

ADDRESSED COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AS MY TELEGRAM NO. 1012 DATED 21ST

AUGUST, REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO PEKING, AND BY SAVING TO

WASHINGTON AND PA SINGAPORE

249

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 1346 : U.S. NAVAL VISITS TO HONG KONG.

し

WE HAVE PUT TO THE AMERICANS THE REVISIONS IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR

TELEGRAM. THEY SEE NO DIFFICULTY IN ACCEPTING POINTS (C), (E), (F)

AND (G). THE POINTS AT (A) AND (D) ARE OF COURSE NOT WELCOME AND

WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN UP WITH THE 7TH FLEET AND WASHINGTON.

2. THE MOST DIFFICULT POINT FOR THEM IS THAT SECTION OF POINT (B)

WHICH CONCERNS HELICOPTER OR TROOP CARRIERS' (MORE ACCURATELY,

ANTI-SUBMARINE SUPPORT CARRIERS (CVS) AND AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIPS

THE ONLY CARRIER-LIKE VESSELS WHICH NORMALLY COME HERE).

IF THIS NEW REQUIREMENT APPLIED ONLY TO NUCLEAR-POWERED VESSELS AND

STRIKE CARRIERS WE HAVE THE IMPRESSION THE AMERICANS WOULD BE ABLE

TC ACCEPT IT, BUT THE INCLUSION ALSO OF CVS'S AND LPH'S WOULD

REPRESENT A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN VISITS COMPARED WITH THE LAST

YEAR OR SO. THE AMERICANS MADE THE POINT AND I AGREE THAT VISITS BY

CVS'S AND LPH'S HAVE NEVER CAUSED ANY TROUBLE WITH THE

(LPH)

Gine

LOCAL COMMUNISTS OR THE CHINESE. THEY POINTED OUT, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT

ONE OF THE LOCAL COMMUNIST PAPERS, THE WEN WEI PAO, IN AN ARTICLE OF

11TH AUGUST, LISTED THE VISITS OF OFFENDING AMEI ICAN CARRIERS. THE

LIST IN FACT REFERRED ONLY TO STRIKE CARRIERS, PLUS TWO OTHER

HWD 2/1

Ɛ3 ON DECHOWY

#

SECRET

12.

/CARRIERS,