TNAG-0743-FCO40-947-Relations-between-China-and-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 42

CONFIDENTIAL

203

Mr Mallaby

Arms Control & Disarmament Dept.

HRK 020/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY RO. 51

4 DEC1978

NATIONAL SEISMIC STATIONS (NSS) IN UKRY

CTB NEGOTIATIONS:

DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

Action Ten

No

ळू

CLE

1. Thank you for sending me a copy of your minute of 30 November.

207

2. As far as Hong Kong is concerned, I can only regard the Soviet proposal as malicious. The Chinese would most certainly regard an NSS in Hong Kong as directed at China, whatever protestations were made to the contrary. The fact that the Russians would be involved in setting up and maintaining the station would make matters worse, and would in itself be highly undesirable (present policy is to exclude Russians from Hong Kong as far as possible).

3.

I hope that an early opportunity will be taken to make it clear that this particular proposal is wholly unacceptable.

1 December 1978

CONFIDENTIAL

RJT McLaren

Hong Kong and General Department