TNAG-0039-FCO40-75-Border-incidents-with-China-1967 — Page 35

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demands of which the main ones were as follows:

(a) return of Inspector Knight and two Chinese Policemen,

(b) return of the Chinese villager abducted on 11 October,

(c) the return of a Sterling gun and other equipment seized on

11 August,

(a) agreement to some permanent method of consulting on border

problems.

At the second meeting, agreement was reached on the exchange of

police personnel, Sterling gun and other equipment for arrested Chinese,

on opening of Man Kam To bridge and on compensation. A time-table for

giving effect to this agreement was laid down. We made no headway with

our demand for the return of the Chinese villager abducted on 11 October

(who was in any case a Chinese national). Our request for some permanent

method of settlement of border problems was not rejected but was stated

to be a matter which would probably require reference to Peking.

However, on 4 November, before the above agreement could be implemented,

we received a further message that the Chinese border authorities wished

to have another meeting to discuss certain unspecified points alleged to

be outstanding from the previous meetings. This further meeting and

subsequent meetings centred round the question of compensation to peasants

for loss of crops. It seemed that there was small prospect of reaching

any overall agreement without some payment from our side.

accordingly agreed that an offer of payment should be made in terms which

would avoid any suggestion that compensation was being paid as a matter

of right.

Ministers

The Governor reported to us the return of Senior Inspector Knight

to British territory on 20 November (it is not known if he escaped or was

allowed to escape) but this development had no apparent effect on the

progress of the talks although it may have been the reason why the

/Chinese

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