TNAG-0040-FCO40-76-Border-incidents-with-China-1968 — Page 107

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totally unemotional way about the photographs

w

I was interested to note that the selection he produced did not include a number of the worst which had appeared in the left wing press in Hong Kong. I then said to Mr. Chou that our views of the causes of the disturbances in May were very different and I had no wish to get into an argument there and then given that our discussions were supposed to be confined to border matters. However I then went on to give him a lengthy description of our view of the case and to say that I personally saw the root cause of the troubles in Hong Kong and Macau in the Cultural Revolution. During all this Mr. Chou kept absolutely quiet, apparently taking it all in, and did not dissent when I came to my conclusion. This is all the more surprising in that for most of the time the interpreter was hovering around in the background listening, bearing witness.

5.

Thus during these asides there was no attempt tɔ browbeat or to shout political slogans or even adopt starchy attitudes. This increased our impression of the people who were conducting the negotiations as reasonable beings, if tough negotiators with tough briefs. I am quite convinced that we can talk turkey with these people in the future provided that they are given the go-ahead by whoever is in charge there.

6.

I am copying this letter to Gaminara in the Commonwealth Office and Wilson in the Foreign Office.

(E.T. Davies)

Assistant Political Adviser.