CYPHER/CAT
PRIORITY HONG KONG
TEL NO 968
Cohes
SECRET
46A3/2
TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
RECEIVED WITHOUT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION]
ADDRESSED CO TELNY968 OF 8TH AUGUST RFI PEKING.
AUGUST
AU/
43 HW
TOP COPY
MY TELEGRAM 941 AND PEKING TELEGRAM 722 : CHUNG WAH AND VISAS. WONG CHO-FAU DID NOT EXERCISE HIS RIGHT TO APPEAR BEFORE EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL ON 6TH AUGUST BUT A LETTER FROM HIM MAKING REPRESENTATIONS
COR IN FAUT ERELY PROTESTS AND DEMANDS) WAS ACCEPTED AND CONSIDERED.
PREVIOUS ADVICE THAT THE SCHOOL BE DEREGISTERED WAS FORMALLY CAND
STRONGLY) ENDORSED AFTER CONSIDERATION OF WONG'S REPRESENTATIONS.
IT WAS AGREED HOWEVER THAT ACTUAL NOTIFICATION OF DEREGISTRATION
BE DELAYED UNTIL THE LAST POSSIBLE DATE BEFORE CLOSURE ORDER
EXPIRED CI.E. UNTIL 13TH AUGUST) IN THE HOPE THAT SOME EXIT VISAS
MIGHT BE FORTHCOMING BEFORE THEN.
2. IT IS POSSIBLE THEREFORE THAT WE ARE AT PRESENT WAITING TO
SEE WHAT THE CHINESE DO UVEK VISAS AND THEY ARE WAITING TO SEE
WHAT WE FINALLY DECIDE OVER CHUNG WAM. A FACTOR IS THAT WHETHER
MORE VISAS ARE ISSUED OR NOT, I CANNOT EASILY CONTEMPLATE ANY
CHANGE IN THE CHUNG WAH DECISION: THE NEUTRAL AND RIGHT WING
PRESS HAS ALL COME OUT UNEQUIVOCALLY IN SUPPORT OF DEREGISTRATION, AND IN THIS ARE UNDOUBTEDLY REFLECTING GENERAL PUBLIC OPINION. TO
RECONSIDER FOR ANY REASON WOULD HAVE A VERY BAD EFFECT. I PROPOSE
HOWEVER TO RELEASE TWO MORE DETAINEES AT MORE OR LESS THE SAME
TIME, AS A COUNTERVAILING GESTURE.
3. ON SUPPOSITION THEREFORE THAT THERE IS A RISK THE CHINESE MAY
BE WITHHOLDING VISAS PENDING FINAL NOTIFICATION OF CHUNG WAH
DECISION, AND INTEND TO CONTINUE TO WITHHOLD THEM IF IT IS
UNFAVOURABLE, I STRONGLY SUPPORT SUGGESTION IN PEKING TELEGRAM
722 THAT IF NO VISAS ARE ISSUED WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO THE
DIPLOMATIC OFFENSIVE SHOULD BE RE-ACTIVATED IMMEDIATELY SO AS TO
GET PRESSURE ONTO THE CHINESE BEFORE 13TH AUGUST. THIS AT LEAST
HAS A CHANCE OF DISSUADING THE CHINESE FROM USING CHUNG WAH AS AN
EXCUSE FOR FURTHER PROCRASTINATION: WHILE AT THE SAME TIME
THEY ARE NOT IN FACT CONTEMPLATING THIS.
/FOREIGN
RISKING
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