TNAG-0039-FCO40-75-Border-incidents-with-China-1967 — Page 108

CONFIDENTIAL

168

Cypher/Cat A

FLA HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (D.T.D.)

Telno. 1648

CONFIDENTIAL

6 November 1967

• COPY

R

AR-

1

F.O. telegram No. 963 to Peking: Hong Kong Border HWAHIT

4

Since the reason for the present Chinese tactics may well be to press us to give more ground, I think that we should at present adopt an unforthcoming line. I am therefore passing the following message to the border authorities through Hsinhua too late for any meeting to be possible today:-

"We have received your message and are considering the fresh situation which now exists. But you have neither replied to our

enquiries about the nature of the points you wish to raise; nor have you yet given a satisfactory explanation of why meetings should not be held on alternate sides of the border".

2.

The above message is deliberately meaningless and designed to give us the maximum options for future action. The message passer will refuse to elaborate in any way.

3. If and when we get a further communication, I would propose, subject to your views and of course to Chinese reactions, to pass a message on the following lines:-

"We do not understand how the present situation has been permitted. to develop. In our view the terms of the arrangements were suffici- ently clear and we had started to act on them. "We do not see why they should not have been clear to your representatives, if they look at hem sincerely. We attach great importance to the faithful.carrying out of agreements once they have been made.

'We have told you on several occasions that we wished to establish the principle of meetings on alternate sides of the border. You must be aware that this proposal for a third meeting on your side makes difficulties for us.

'In the circumstances we suggest that the best means of clarifying the position would be for both sides. to exchange through Hsinhua verbal or written statements of the arrangements to which they are prepared to agree; together with proposals for the implementation of the arrangements in the fresh situation that has arisen as a result of your Border authorities' failure to undertake the action decided upon."

40 The phrasing used is designed either to enable us to maintain that we adhere to the old agreement or enable us to introduce some changes. For example, the previous dates obviously cannot now be adhered to. The proposal for an exchange of statements would get us out of the difficulty of having once again to cross the border if we wish to continue negotiations. My own feeling is that for the sake of clarity the statement should be in written form, but the danger is that the

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