TNAG-0031-FCO40-67-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 32

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER/CAT A

ROUTINE BERNE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 127

CONFIDENTIAL

TO FOREIGN OFFICE

5 JULY 1968

YOUR TEL NO. 358 OF 1 JULY TO BRNE,

EXIT VISAS FROM PEKING.

FURTHER TO MY TEL NO. 124 OF 3 JULY,

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HAVE JUST HEARD THAT ROSSETTI, SWISS AMBASSADOR TO PEKING, IS ON LEAVE IN EUROPE AND WILL NOT RETURN TO PEKING

TILL END OF THIS MONTH.

2. A SWISS OFFICIAL HAS TOLD ME IN STRICT CONFIDENCE

THAT ROSSETTI WAS RECENTLY INSTRUCTED TO INTERVENE WITH CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY AT HIGH LEVEL AT REQUEST OF A THIRD COUNTRY

( WHICH OFFICIAL WOULD NOT NAME) ON BEHALF OF TWO

OF ITS NATIONALS WHO DISAPPEARED IN CHINA, ROSSETTI TOLD A SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIAL THAT HIS INTERVENTION WAS PURELY FOR HUMANITARIAN REASONS. THE CHINESE OFFICIAL REFUSED TO DISCUSS HE MATTER AT ALL ON GROUNDS THAT ROSSETTI HAD

NO RIGHT TO APPEAL ON BEHALF OF A THIRD PARTY.

INCIDENT IS BOUND TO INFLUENCE SWISS ATTITUDE IF WE ASK FOR THEIR INTERVENTION OVER EXIT VISAS.

MR. G V BRITTEN.

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CONFIDENTIAL

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RECEIVED IN LATIVES No. 63

-81001963

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