TNAG-0072-FCO40-108-Annual-report-on-the-colony-s-affairs-for-1967-1968 — Page 5

camis the risk of seron's

seriously damage Sino-British relations.

The

Chinese have already made a major shift in policy

by renouncing violence and virtually admitting that

last year's campaign was a failure. We think it

unlikely that the repetition of a few widely known

"historical" facts will bring about a radical

reassessment of their policy. Nor do we think that

the report by itself will create a new obstacle to

the improvement of Sino British relations in the

way that a serious incident in Hong Kong almost

certainly would. You yourself have no doubt assessed

the effect of your present text on the local

communists.

2. We therefore agree that the report should be

published with the amendments contained in your

telegram under reference with two small additional

changes:

(a) At the beginning of the second paragraph on

page 13 we would prefer the words "constant

raids were mounted" to be replaced by "action

was taken against".

(b)

In the fourth paragraph on page 11 we doubt if

it would be prudent to include the words

"and indeed throughout confrontation this

force has been more concerned to prevent such

incidents than to foment them". They might

be seized on by the extremists in Kwangtung

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

as evidence of lack of revolutionary zeal on the part of the Peoples Lefervention Anuy

and used as a means of pressing the P.L.A.

on the border

into playing a trouble-making role/in future.

Departmental

032717 E.W.& S., Ltd. 164m 3/67.

dist

Pla issue

5

14/2/68