TNAG-0742-FCO40-946-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 160

CONFIDENTIAL

3. THE NCNA REPRESENTATIVES TOOK CAREFUL NOTE. THEY SAID THAT THEY

HAD HEARD NOTHING FROM THEIR SIDE ABOUT AN INCIDENT. THEY WOULD REPORT IMMEDIATELY WHAT HAD BEEN SAID. THEY WERE SURE THAT THE

KWANGTUNG AUTHORITIES WOULD TREAT IT AS A SERIOUS INCIDENT AND WOULD CARRY OUT A FULL INVESTIGATION. THEY WERE SURE THAT THE PLA. COULD NOT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED (THE POLITICAL ADVISER AGREED): BUT LOCAL MILITIA MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

4. SO FAR WE HAVE SUCCEEDED IN LIMITING KNOWLEDGE OF THE INCIDENT

AND NOTHING HAS APPEARED IN THE PRESS. IF THE STORY DOES LEAK WE SHALL TRY TO PLAY IT DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

ROBERTS

FILES HK YG D

FED

NEWS D

PUSD PS

PS/LORD GORONWY REBERTS PS/PUS

SIR A DUFF

MIL CORTAZZI

MR STRATTON

MR MURRAY

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CONFIDENTIAL