TNAG-0032-FCO40-68-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 253

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4.

ANY CHANCE OF THEM BEHAVING DECENTLY IN THE LONG TERM. THERE MUST

BE ELEMENTS IN THE CPG WHO FEEL THE SAME WAY. I DO NOT DOUBT ALSO

THAT THE FORTITUDE OF THE MISSION STAFF HAS IN ITSELF PARTLY TAUGHT

THIS LESSON: THAT THEY ARE EMBARRASSED BY WHAT THEY DID: AND WOULD

LIKE TO UNDO IT IF THEY KNEW HOW WITHOUT TOO MUCH LOSS OF FACE:

DEMANDS' IN HONG KONG NOW BEING IN TRUTH PARTLY DESIGNED TO

COVER THEIR EMBARRASSMENT. IF WE CAN FIND WAYS TO DRIVE HOME THE

LESSON THAT ILL BEHAVIOUR DOES NOT PAY BY MEANS E.G. OF

AN EFFECTIVE DIPLOMATIC OFFENSIVE OF THE KIND NOW CONTEMPLATED: BY

PUBLICITY: OR BY ANY OTHER SIMILAR MEANS WE CAN THINK OF - AND

PREFERABLY EVEN MORE TELLING ONES - THEN, AND ONLY THEN, DO WE

HAVE SOME CHANCE OF BEING ABLE TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP OF

REASONABLE RESPECT: WHICH IS THE ONLY KIND THAT CAN PERHAPS ENDURE.

SIR D. TRENCH

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