CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NO. 883
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
229
12 JULY 1968
N
ADDRESSED CO TELNO 883 OF 12TH JULY RFI PEKING WASHINGTON AND
SAVING PA SINGAPORE.
(228)
YOUR TELEGRAM 1284 : U.S. NAVAL VISITS,
WHEN THEY WERE NEGOTIATED IN 1965, THE MAIN AIM OF THE GUIDELINES WAS TO INDICATE WHAT LEVEL OF NAVAL VISITS TO HONG KONG WOULD. NORMALLY BE ACCEPTABLE; AND THEREBY TO MINIMISE UNCERTAINTY
OVER CLEARANCE OF INDIVIDUAL SHIPS AND TO GIVE THE U.S. SEVENTH FLEET MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY IN PLANNING. THE AMERICANS HAVE BEEN NOTABLY SCRUPULOUS IN OBSERVING THE GUIDELINES AT THE 1965 LEVELS, DESPITE A 30% INCREASE IN THE SIZE OF THE FLEET. FURTHER EXAMINATION HAS SHOWN THAT IN THE VERY FEW CASES WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH INSENSITIVITY TO THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE CHOICE OF INDIVIDUAL SHIPS AT A GIVEN TIME, THE REQUESTS HAVE STEMMEU FROM LONG-STANDING FLEET SCHEDULES AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WITHIN THE GUIDELINES.
2.
THE POSITION IS NOW THAT IT IS JUST POSSIBLE BY CAREFUL
SCHEDULING WITHIN THE GUIDELINES FOR EACH SHIP TO PAY ONE VISIT TO HONG KONG IN HER OPERATIONAL TOUR OF ABOUT NINE MONTHS. THE AMERICANS HAVE ACCEPTED POSTPONEMENTS OR CANCELLATIONS AT
SHORT NOTICE OFFICIALLY WITH GOOD GRACE BUT THE DISRUPTION AND EFFECT ON MORALE IS INVARIABLY SEVERE. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT AS REGARDS MORALE THERE IS NO R. AND R. SUBSTITUTE FOR HONG KONG.
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63
2 JUL 1968
HWA 2/1
LAST
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CONFIDENTIAL
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(239)6249
/3. THE LOCAL
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