CYPHER CAT A
IMMEDIATE
TELNO 2164
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPI
12
HONG KONG TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
7 NOVEMBER 1968
FE
ADDRESSED FCO AS MY TELEGRAM NO. 2164 OF 7TH NOVEMBER RFI PEKING.
MY TELEGRAM NO. 2153: DISCUSSIONS WITH N.C.N.A.
SECOND MEETING TOOK PLACE ON THE MORNING OF 7TH NOVEMBER. NO PROGRESS
WAS MADE. POLITICAL ADVISER SAID THAT WE HAD NOW RECEIVED ASSURANCES
IN PEKING THAT THE VISIT TO GREY WOULD BE ARRANGED AFTER VISITS TO
NEWSWORKERS AND WE WERE THEREFORE PREPARED TO GO AHEAD WITH THE
VISITS HERE. WE HAD CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE TWO POINTS RAISED BY
N.C.N.A. AT THE LAST MEETING BUT WERE UNABLE TO ACCEPT THEM. THE
ARRANGEMENTS MADE IN APRIL WERE THEMSELVES A COMPROMISE WHICH WAS NOT
ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY TO US AND WE SAW NO REASON TO GO FURTHER.
2. PUN TAK-HSING FOR N.C.N.A. SAID THAT THIS WAS VERY UNSATISFACTORY.
THE TWO POINTS RAISED BY N.C.N.A. WERE REASONABLE. MOREOVER, THEY
WERE VERY SMALL POINTS AND WE WOULD NOT BE MAKING A CONCESSION IF WE
AGREED TO THEM. IF WE DID NOT SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS IT WOULD DEMON-
STRATE THAT WE DID NOT WISH THE VISITS TO NEWSWORKERS TO TAKE PLACE.
HE HOPED THAT WE WOULD AGAIN CONSIDER THE MATTER AND GIVE A FAVOUR-
ABLE REPLY.
3. POLITICAL ADVISER SAID THAT HE WOULD REPORT PUN'S VIEWS BUT HE COULD HOLD OUT NO HOPE AT ALL THAT THE TWO POINTS WOULD BE RECON- SIDERED. AFTER A GOOD DEAL OF REPETITIOUS ARGUMENT DURING WHICH N.C.N.A. BROUGHT THEIR USUAL CHARGE OF LACK OF SINCERITY, IT WAS
AGREED THAT BOTH SIDES WOUWD REPORT TO THEIR SUPERIORS AND WOULD GET
IN TOUCH AGAIN IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO.
4. N.C.N.A. APPEARED TO BE IN NO HURRY TO REACH AGREEMENT AND SEEMED TO ENVISAGE A SERIES OF FURTHER MEETINGS. THEY GAVE NO INDICATION OF READINESS TO DROP THEIR ADDITIONAL REQUESTS OR TO COMPROMISE.
ATMOSPHERE WAS LESS RELAXED THAN AT LAST MEETING BUT STILL CORDIAL.
LAST
REF.
FCO PLEASE PASS IMMEDIATE PEKING
PEKING.
8
REXT
REF.
28
SIR D. TRENCH
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
FAR EASTERN DEPT.
HONG KONG DEPT. CONSULAR DEPT. NEWS DEPT.
/REPEATED AS REQUESTED/
Mr Saley
RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No.31
ADVANCE COPTES SENT
A. telegram was last night
CONF IDENT LA file
ANG
from this pl. 12/11
- 8 NOV 1968
HKK ///
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.