TNAG-0032-FCO40-68-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 168

CONFIDENTIAL

727

CYPHER/CAT A

PRIORITY THE HAGUE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 431

CONFIDENTIAL

(704)

TO FOREIGN OFFICE

27 JULY 1968

YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 373 TO BERNE: BRITISH MISSION IN

PEKING.

1 RAISED THE MATTER THIS MORNING WITH THE ACTING. SECRETARY-GENERAL AT THE M F A AND THE COUNSELLOR LATER PRESENTED AN AIDE MEMOIRE AND SUPPORTING BACKGROUND MEMORANDA TO THE HEAD OF EASTERN DIRECTORATE, ROOKMAKER.

THE AIDE

2. THE REACTION WAS, AS EXPECTED, SYMPATHETIC.

THE MFA WILL LET US MEMOIRE WILL BE CAREFULLY STUDIED AND HAVE A CONSIDERED REPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ROOKMAKER WAS NOT OPTIMISTIC AND STRESSED THE DUTCH EXPERIENCE THAT IN CASES OF THIS SORT, THE CHINESE YIELD ONLY PAINFUL PRESSURE CAN BE BROUGHT TO BEAR.

WHEN REAL AND

MAKING BROAD-

3. ROOKMAKER WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE WERE BASED APPROACHES TO ALL GOVERNMENTS IN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH OURSELVES AND CHINA: HE AGREED THAT SUPPORT FOR OUR CASE FROM NON-WESTERN GOVERNMENTS WAS VERY DESIRABLE. HE CONSIDERED THE RELATIVE MERITS OF A PROTEST IN PEKING OR IN THE CAPITAL CONCERNED TO BE EVENLY BALANCED.

LOCAL A CONCERTED PROTEST

IN PEKING, PARTICULARLY IF ALL CONCERNED INCLUDING NON- ALIGNED AND EASTERN MISSIONS COULD BE INDUCED TO PARTICIPATE, WOULD SERVE TO DEMONSTRATE FORCEFULLY THE UNIVERSAL OPPOSITION TO THESE CHINESE TACTICS. ACTION IN LOCAL CAPITALS MIGHT PROVE EFFECTIVE WHERE THERE WAS A HIGH LEVEL CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE: BUT DUTCH EXPERIENCE HAD TENDED TO SHOW THAT CHINESE DIPLOMATS WHEN CONFRONTED WITH AN ISSUE OF THIS SORT WERE INCAPABLE OF RESPONDING OTHER THAN WITH BLUSTER AND COULD NOT BE RELIED ON TO REPORT ANY BUT THE MOST GARFLED ACCOUNT OF THE INTERVIEW TO PEKING.

ED IN

Ac JUL 1963

1-21410372

4.ROOKMAKER

CONFIDENTIAL

4

LAST

704.