ER/CAT.A
CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY. FOREIGN OFFICE
ΤΟ
PEKING
TELNO. 604
11 JULY 1967
(FD 3/1)
29
CONFIDENTIAL.
ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NO 604 OF 11/7 REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONGKONG.
કો
YOUR TELEGRAM NO.862:
21/€
SHA TAU KOK.
THIS CROSSED OUR TELEGRAMS NOS. 597 AND 598 OF 9 JULY STATING THAT WE HAD PUT OUT AN ON-THE-RECORD STATEMENT. THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY ALSO MADE A STATEMENT IN ANSWER TO A PRIVATE NOTICE QUESTION ON 13 JULY. AS YOU HAVE ALREADY LODGED A PROTEST, NEITHER WE NOR THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE CONSIDER A FURTHER STATEMENT IS REQUIRED AT THIS STAGE.
22
WE ASKED YOU TO CONTACT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IMMEDIATELY IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE CHINESE CENTRAL AUTHORITIES SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH WE VIEWED THESE INCIDENTS AND TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO THEM THAT H.M.G. WERE FULLY BEHIND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN DEALING WITH THEM. WE ASSUMED YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE QUICKLY WITHOUT, IF NECESSARY, WAITING FOR A FORMAL INTERVIEW. ALTHOUGH WE ARE, OF COURSE, READY TO PASS MESSAGES HERE, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SPEAK TO ANY HIGH RANKING CHINESE AS YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DO AND CONSEQUENTLY WE CAN GET NO WORTHWHILE RESPONSE OR FEEL OF THE ATMOSPHERE AS YOU CLEARLY DID, FOR EXAMPLE, ON 9 JULY. SHEN PING ACTS AS A MERE TRANSMISSION BELT AND ALL WE GET FROM HIM IS A RECITAL OF ABUSIVE M.F.A. STATEMENTS AND PEOPLE'S DAILY ARTICLES. FURTHERMORE, A MESSAGE THROUGH SHEN PING WILL NOT REACH THE M.F.A. AS QUICK AS ONE THROUGH YOU. WE THINK THEREFORE THAT IT IS BETTER IF WE CAN PASS MESSAGES THROUGH YOU UNLESS THERE IS A PARTICULAR REASON FOR MAKING
/ REPRESENTATIONS
LAbi
REE
21/€
NEXT
REF.
29A
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No. 62
13 JUL:67
HWAY/1
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63
13 JUL:767
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.