TNAG-0032-FCO40-68-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 226

CYPHER/CAT A AND BY BAE.

IMMEDIATE FOREIGN OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 750

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PEKING

16 JULY 1968 (F)

CONFIDENTIAL.

ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 750 OF 16 JULY

INFORMATION TO PARIS HONG KONG

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 6431 EXIT VISAS.

FOLLOWING FROM WILKINSON.

GOCA

REPEATED FORN

63

JUL1968

HWD 3/2

689

YOU WILL HAVE SEEN VARIOUS REACTIONS FROM POSTS TO THE PROPOSALS

IN FOREIGN OFFICE TELEGRAM NO. 358 TO BERNE. WE ARE AGREED THAT, THOUGH SOME GOVERNMENTS MAY BE SOMEWHAT RELUCTANT TO ACT,

THIS IS NO REASON FOR NOT PRESSING THEM HARD TO DO SO.

2, ON PRESENT FORM WE ENVISAGE TRYING TO ENLIST THE COOPERATION

OF ALL THE COUNTRIES REPRESENTED IN PEKING EXCEPT THE SOVIET UNION, MONGOLIA AND ALGERIA, AND POSSIBLY TANZANIA. (WE ARE HOWEVER

CONSULTING H.M. AMBASSADOR IN MOSCOW ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DESIR- ABILITY OF KEEPING THE RUSSIONS INFORMED OF WHAT WE ARE DOING).

3 WE ARE NOW RECOMMENDING TO MINISTERS THAT INSTRUCTIONS TO

MISSIONS SHOULD BE ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:-

(A) AN APPROACH SHOULD BE MADE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN THE TERMS

OF THE TELEGRAM TO BERNE UNDER REFERENCE. SUBJECT TO THEIR VIEWS,

POSTS SHOULD BE ASKED TO LEAVE A BOUT DE PAPIER ABOUT THE FACTS

BASED ON YOUR TELEGRAM NO.359 AMPLIFIED BY PARAGRAPH 3 OF THE

TELEGRAM TO BERNE. IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF

POSTS AS TO WHETHER THEY INCORPORATE THE SUBSTANTIVE REPRESENT-

ATIONS IN AN AIDE MEMOIRE. IF THIS IS DONE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE

CHINESE MIGHT BE PRESENTED WITH A NUMBER OF NEARLY IDENTICAL

PIECES OF PAPER. ON BALANCE WE THINK THAT VARIED APPROACHES TO

THE CHINESE, WHICH HAD A GREATER APPEARANCE OF SPONTANEITY WOULD

BE PREFERABLE.

(B) WE WOULD SUGGEST THAT IN VIEW OF THE POSSIBLE RELUCTANCE OF

GOVERNMENTS TO ENGAGE IN WHAT MIGHT APPEAR TO BE A JOINT

DEMARCHE IN PEKING, IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE FOR THEM TO SUMMON THE

CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE CAPITAL. H.M. REPRESENTATIVES

WOULD INFORM GOVERNMENTS ABOUT WHICH OTHER GOVERNMENTS HAD BEEN APPROACHED, BUT WE WOULD LEAVE IT TO THEM TO CONSULT AMONG

THEMSELVES IF THEY SO WISH.

LAST

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691

CONFIDENTIAL

/(C) WE