TNAG-0093-FCO40-129-Water-supplies-1968 — Page 4

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CONFIDENTIAL

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HW

CYPHER/CAT A

ROUTINE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 770

CONFIDENTIAL.

TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

17 JUNE 1968

ADDRESSED COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AS MY TELEGRAM NO. 770 DATED 17TH JUNE REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO POLAD SINGAPORE AND PEKING.

าา

MY TELEGRAM 549 REPEATED 71 TO SINGAPORE AND 204 TO PEKING.

CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN DURING MAY TO THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVAN- TAGES OF SENDING A FOREMAN ACROSS THE BORDER TO RECONCILE THE WATER CONSUMPTION FIGURES, AS HAD BEEN THE PRACTICE PRIOR TO OCTOBER, 1967, WITH A VIEW TO SECURING ACCEPTANCE OF PAYMENTS DUE UNDER THE WATER AGREEMENT WITH CHINA. AFTER TEMPORARY POSTPONEMENT OF ACTION DUE TO THE INCIDENT AT LO WU ON THE 29TH MAY, THE MEETING TOOK PLACE ON 8TH JUNE.

2. OUR MAN WAS THOROUGHLY SEARCHED ON ARRIVAL, AND WAS REQUIRED TO

JOIN IN THE CHANTING OF SLOGANS FROM MAO THOUGHT. THE ACTUAL RECONCILIATION OF WATER FIGURES TOOK ONLY A SHORT TIME AND WAS APPARENTLY ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT DIFFICULTY, BUT HE WAS QUESTIONED AT SOME LENGTH AS TO WHY HE HAD NOT COME OVER TO RECONCILE THE FIGURES AT ANY TIME SINCE WATER SUPPLY WAS RESUMED IN OCTOBER, WHY THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES DISTRIBUTED SALINE WATER WHEN FRESH WATER WAS SUPPLIED FROM CHINA, AND WHETHER HE WOULD RETURN NEXT MONTH AT THE NORMAL TIME. REFERENCE WAS ALSO MADE TO FINANCIAL LOSS SUSTAINED AS

A RESULT OF NON-PAYMENT OF DOLLARS 10 MILLIONS OUTSTANDING UNDER THE AGREEMENT, WHICH THEY STATED WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES.

3. OUR MAN SAID THAT HE COULD ONLY REPORT TO THE WATERWORKS DEPART-

MENT ON THESE POINTS, AND HE AVOIDED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE ANY

DISCUSSION ON THEM.

F

LACT REF

CONFIDENTIAL

RECHNÆD IN

ARCHIVES No. 66.3 18 JUN1968

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19,6,68.

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