TNAG-0032-FCO40-68-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 170

CYPHER/CAT A

PRIORITY COLOMBO

LEGRAM NUMBER 444

Second coCONFIDERAy in ....Dept. F. E... Dept. Top copy cont to

HW

TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

27 JULY 1968

CONFIDENTIAL.

ADDSD TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELNO 444 OF 27 JULY REPTD ROUTINE

TO PEKING.

704

YOUR TELNO 373 TO BERNE: BRITISH MISSION IN PEKING.

I RAISED THIS WITH PERMANENT SECRETARY MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL

AFFAIRS TODAY. HE SAID THAT HE THOUGHT CEYLON WOULD BE READY

TO TAKE THE ACTION REQUESTED.

2. I MENTIONED POINT IN YOUR PARA 4 BUT ADDED THAT IF MR

ROBERT GUNAWARDENA (WHO IS OF COURSE NOTORIOUSLY PRO-CHINESE)

COULD BE INDUCED TO SAY THE RIGHT THING IN PEKING IT MIGHT

BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ANYTHING SAID TO THE VERY JUNIOR CHINESE

CHARGE D'AFFAIRS IN COLOMBO. SAMARISINGHE SAID THAT HE FULLY

AGREED AND THOUGHT THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE SENDING APPROPRIATE

INSTRUCTIONS TO PEKING VERY SOON. HE UNDERTOOK TO LET ME KNOW

WHAT ACTION THEY EVENTUALLY DECIDED ON.

C.0. PLS PASS TO PEKING.

+

SIR.S.TOMLINSON

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

F.O.

F.E.D.

C.O. H.K.D.

C.O. S.A.D.

I.R.D.

LAST

REF.

F.0.

NEWS DEPT.

70x

NEO

REF.

CONFIDEN TI AL

726

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63 29 JUL1968

44034