TNAG-0032-FCO40-68-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 187

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CONFIDENT IAL

CYPHER/CAT A

TO FOREIGN OFFICE

25 JULY 1968

ROUTINE BERNE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 137

CONFIDENTIAL

ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN OFFICE TELEGRAM NO 137 OF 25 JULY R F

PEXING AND SAVING TO SOFIA BUDAPEST BUCHAREST PRAGUE WARSAW COPENHAGEN THE HAGUE HELSINKI OSLO PARIS STOCKHOLM BELGRADE CAIRO COLOMBO KABUL KATMANDU DELHI RAWALPINDI KAMPALA NAIROBI LUSAKA RABAT VIENTIANE KHARTOUM MOGADISHU HONG KONG DAR-ES-SALAAM

WASHINGTON MOSCOW AND BAGHAD.

104) YOUR TEL NO. 373: BRITISH MISSION IN PEKING.

I SAW CHATELAIN, ACTING HEAD OF DEPARTMENT DEALING WITH EASTERN HEMISPHERE, THIS MORNING AND, AFTER EXPLAINING

OUR CASE, LEFT WITH HIM A BOUT DE PAPIER RECORDING THE BACKGROUND AND FACTS ONLY, I DID NOT DEEM IT NECESSARY TO LEAVE AN AIDE MEMOIRE SETTING OUT MY REPRESENTATIONS. HE UNDERTOOK TO EXAMINE YOUR REQUEST SYMPATHETICALLY, ADDING THAT

IT WAS UP TO WESTERN NATIONS TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC STANDARDS WERE MAINTAINED. BUT THEY WOULD

ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF A SWISS

DEMARCHE ON SWISS INTERESTS IN CHINA.

2. THE MATTER WOULD HAVE TO GO TO SPUHLER, HEAD OF THE POLITICAL DEPARTMENT, FOR FINAL DECISION. MEANWHILE, IT WOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH ROSSETTI, SWISS AMBASSADOR IN PEKING, NOW ON LEAVE IN EUROPE, WHEN HE RETURNS TO BERNE IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS. THEY WOULD THEN INFORM ME WHAT THEY PROPOSE TO DO. THE SWISS HAVE AT PRESENT ONLY A FIRST SECRETARY IN PEKING AND IF THEY DECIDE TO TAKE ACTION THERE (SEE BELOW) THEY WOULD WANT TO AWAIT ROSSETTI'S RETURN IN ABOUT A MONTH'S TIME. WHEN I DEMURRED AT THIS DELAY CHATELAIN SAID THAT A DEMARCHE WOULD CARRY MUCH MORE WEIGHT IF MADE AT AMBASSADORIAL LEVEL, AND WOULD BE IN OUR INTERESTS.

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