CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO 1820
5 DECEMBER, 1967
99
(D.T.D.)
!
SECRET ADDRESSED C.O. TELEGRAM 1820 OF 5 DECEMBER REPEATED FOR INFORM TO PEKING, POLAD SINGAPORE AND WASHINGTON.
PEKING TELEGRAMS 296, 297 AND 298 PEKING STAFF EXIT VISAS.
. 1
I AM MOST ANXIOUS TO DO ANYTHING I CAN TO HELP THE STAFF IN PEKING IN
THE FACE OF THIS VERY UNPLEASANT DEVELOPMENT. BUT THERE HAS BEEN
SMALL SIGN INSIDE HONG KONG OF ANY ATTEMPT BY THE COMMUNISTS TO
NORMALISE THE SITUATION SEMICOLON BOMB ATTACKS CONTINUE REGULARLY
AND THE PRESS HAS MAINTAINED ITS VIRULENT CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT PRAISING VIOLENCE AND CALLING FOR PERSISTENT COUNTER-ATTACKS. SCHOOLS AND UNIONS HOLD REGULAR 'DENUNCIATION MEETINGS' AND ADVOCATE CONTIN-
UANCE OF THE STRUGGLE. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE COULD BE A
LOSS OF PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IF I WERE NOW OUT OF THE BLUE TO MAKE
SUBSTANTIAL CONCESSIONS TO THE COMMUNISTS. AGAIN, I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT THERE WAS A DANGER THAT IF WE YIELD MUCH GROUND IN RESPONSE
COMM TO THIS LATEST FORM OF PRESSURE, THE COMMUNISTS (WHO MAY ALREADY
HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY GAINING MUCH OF WHAT THEY DEMANDED' IN THE
BORDER TALKS) MAY SIMPLY ASK FOR MORE.
2. THE POSITION IS THEREFORE A DIFFICULT ONE FROM MY POINT OF VIEW
SEMICOLON BUT I TAKE THE VARIOUS MAJOR CURRENT ISSUES IN TURN BELOW
TO INDICATE WHAT MIGHT BE DONE.
3. SCHOOLS. TO ASK THE COURTS TO GIVE ONLY LIGHT SENTENCES TO PUPILS AND TEACHERS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE COMMITTED SERIOUS OFFENCES, WOULD BE
A DANGEROUS INTERFERENCE WITH THE NORMAL PROCESSES OF LAW. IN FACT COURTS HAVE FREQUENTLY TRIED TO BIND OVER COMMUNIST PRISONERS INSTEAD
OF SENTENCING, BUT IMPRISONMENT HAS FOLLOWED BECAUSE PRISONERS
REFUSED TO ENTER INTO A BOND.
4. ON THE OTHER HAND, IN DEALING WITH COMMUNIST SCHOOLS WE HAVE
ALWAYS DONE OUR BEST TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE ARE CONCERNED TO
LAST
REF.
NEX
ET
120
SECRET
/PREVENT
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