TNAG-0027-FCO40-63-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 161

I copy only

CONFIDENTIAL

141

CYPHER/CAT A

MEDIATE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO HONG KONG (DTD)

TELNO 1801

31 AUGUST, 1967

(FED)

CONFIDENTIAL.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF FOREIGN SECRETARY'S MESSAGE TO CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER SENT YESTERDAY.

BEGINS.

THE PRESENT STATE OF ANGLO - CHINESE RELATIONS REQUIRES THAT YOU AND I, AS THE MINISTERS IN OUR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR MUTUAL RELATIONS, SHOULD DISCUSS THESE RELATIONS FRANKLY AND DISPASSIONATELY. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL TAKE THIS MESSAGE AS A BASIS FOR SUCH DISCUSSION...

OUR REPRESENTATIVE IN PEKING, MR. HOPSON, WAS SUMMONED TO SEE YOUR VICE MINISTER, MR. LO KUEI-PO, ON 30 AUGUST. THE VICE MINISTER ANNOUNCED THE IMPOSITION OF FURTHER RESTRICTIONS UPON THE STAFF OF THE BRITISH MISSION IN PEKING. BUT, STATING THAT HE WAS SPEAK ING ON BEHALF OF YOUR GOVERNMENT, HE ASKED: QUOTE WHERE DO YOU WANT TO PUSH SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS? UNQUOTE. I WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

WITHOUT REVIEWING ANGLO-CHINESE RELATIONS IN DETAIL I CAN TELL YOU, AS I AM SURE YOU ALREADY KNOW, THAT I PERSONALLY, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNMENT OF WHICH I AM A MEMBER, HAVE ALWAYS SOUGHT GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN YOUR GOVERNMENT AND OURSELVES, AND IN PARTICULAR WE HAVE ADVOCATED YOUR MEMBERSHIP OF THE UNITED NATIONS. WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT SUPPORT BUT I MUST MAKE IT QUITE CLEAR THAT THE ACTIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN CHINA IN THE LAST MONTHS AGAINST BRITISH SUBJECTS THERE, INCLUDING OUR DIPLOMATIC MISSION, ARE MAKING OUR TASK EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. WE HAVE INDEED COME TO THE POINT WHEN MANY PEOPLE

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/IN

..VED IN ARCHIVES No. 63

/ Stras/

CONFIDENTIAL