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2
(D) PEKING WAS SAID BY LI TO BE NOW MORE FULLY IN CONTROL OF
LOCAL COMMUNIST ACTION THAN IT HAD BEEN WHEN THE DISTURBANCES
STARTED LAST YEAR.
Q
ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED NOW WOULD BE ONLY
WITH PEKING'S SUPPORT, CONTACT STRONGLY ADVISED THAT THIS STATE-
KENT RE ICHORED AS IN HIS OPINION IT WAS AN INVENTION OF LI'S.
(E) THE TWO MAJOR POINTS OUTSTANDING IN HONG KONG SO FAR AS THE
COMMUNISTS WERE CONCERNED WERE PRISONERS, INCLUDING BOTH CONVICTED
PRISONERS AND DETAINEES, AND **STRIKERS'': BUT IN CONTACT'S
PERSONAL OPINION BOTH THESE POINTS KOULD IN THE LONG RUN TURN
OUT TO BE OF MINOR SIGNIFICANCE AND THE MOST DIFFICULT PROBLEM
WOULD BE THE QUESTION OF SAVING FACE.
A.
HIS ADVICE WAS NOT TO RUSH MATTERS. IT WOULD BE QUITE WRONG
TO MAKE CONCESSIONS OR EVEN TO START DISCUSSIONS ON SPECIFIC
POINTS AT THIS STAGE. HIS ADVICE WAS THAT AT PRESENT IT WOULD BE
SUFFICIENT 1-
CAD TO CONFIRM THIS CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION:
(B) TO AGREE THAT IT SHOULD BE KEPT SECRET: AND
(C) TO REAFFIRM OUR DESIRE TO HAVE PEACEFUL RELATIONS WITH CHINA
WHILST MAINTAINING LAW AND ORDER IN HONG KONG.
5.
PLEASE SEE ALSO MY TELEGRAM 896.
FO PLEASE PASS PRIORITY PEKING.
SIR D. TRENCH
[COPIES SENT TO SIR B. TREND CABINET OFFICE, AND
SECRETARY J.I.C.[
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
FILES
C.0.
HD. H.K.D.
P.A.D.
F.0.
P.S.
P.S. TO MINISTER OF STATE
LORD SHEPHERD
MR. MONSON, mason
MR. ROB.
P.S.
SIR D. ALLEN.
MR. WILKINSON.
HD. F.E.D.
HD. P.U.S.D.
MR. BUTLER. P.U.S.D.
D.I.S.M.O.D.
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