TNAG-0038-FCO40-74-Border-incidents-with-China-1967 — Page 73

CONFIDENTIAL

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CYPHER/CAT.A

IMMEDIATE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ΤΟ

HONG KONG

(D.T.D.)

TELNO. 1681

15 AUGUST 1967

(FED)

CONFIDENTIAL.

ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 1681 OF 15 AUGUST REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO PEKING, WASHINGTON.

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 1223.

WHILE WE FULLY UNDERSTAND YOUR REASONS FOR WISHING TO SEE A PROTEST MADE TO THE CHINESE ABOUT THE INCIDENTS AT MAN KAM TO AND THE LO FONG GATE, WE HAD SOME DOUBTS ABOUT SUCH A PROTEST AT THIS STAGE. THESE ARE NOW REINFORCED BY THE FACT THAT HOPSON HAS MADE H.M.G'S ATTITUDE QUITE CLEAR. (PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 1074)

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2. ALTHOUGH PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT SUCH PROTESTS ARE OF LITTLE APPARENT VALUE, THIS IN ITSELF IS, NO REASON FOR NOT MAKING THEM. THERE ARE CERTAINLY OCCASIONS WHEN THEY MUST BE MADE AND A VERY SERIOUS INCIDENT SUCH AS THAT AT SHA TAU KOK, WHEN POLICEMEN WERE KILLED AND INJURE, IS A CASE IN POINT. BUT IN ORDER TO AVOID THE DANGER OF DEBASING OUR OWN CURRENCY WE FEEL THAT SUCH OCCASIONS SHOULD BE CAREFULLY SELECTED AND THAT A PROTEST AT THIS STAGE WOULD SERVE NO USEFUL PURPOSE. THIS DOES NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF REFERRING TO THE INCIDENT IN ANY SUBSEQUENT PROTEST THAT WE MAY MAKE.

3. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, UNLESS YOU OR PEKING HOLD STRONG VIEWS TO THE CONTRARY, WE DO NOT PROPOSE TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION. WE SHOULD HOWEVER BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS AND THOSE OF H.M. CHARGE D-AFFAIRES PEKING ON THE GENERAL QUESTION OF PROTESTS. WOULD IT FOR EXAMPLE, BE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF LOCAL OPINION IF ON AN OCCASION WHEN AN ORAL PROTEST WAS CONSIDERED INAPPROPRIATE A PROTEST NOTE WERE PUT IN, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS CERTAIN THAT THE CHINESE WOULD RETURN IT..

CROSEC

SENT 15252/15 AUGUST 1967

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