CONFIDENTIAL
might be an appropriate time,
The detainees, on the
other hand, will I hope be released continuously from
now on.
19.
It will be seen from the above that I en not suggesting a
negotiated settlement, but rather a series of acts of
de-escalation on uach side. I think it most unlikely
that the Chinese would enter into specific negotiations
with prior undertakings. I doubt whether it would
be to our advantage either.
20. It might also be argued that in the present turnoil
of the Cultural Revolution now is not the time to seck
even a tacit agreement with the Chinese Government, and
that we should therefore wait in the expectation that a
more moderato and reasonable regime will emerge. It
is impossible to forecast the future course of events
in China, but we have no reason to expect that a more
moderate regime will emerge, at any rate in the next
few years.
The chances are that Maoist extremism will
remain in full strength. On the other hand we have
had clear indications that the Chinese would like to move now
towards a settlement of our difficulties.
In short we
cennot bank on conditions improving, and there is therefore
no point in waiting in the expectation that they will.
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