TNAG-0854-FCO40-1064-The-Kowloon-Canton-Railway-1979 — Page 84

GRS 250

CONFIDENTIAL

CONTADENTIAL

F

HONG KONG 921045Z JAN 79

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 6 OF 2 JANUARY

Hekl

RECEIVED

173

TRY NO. S

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

Action

THROUGH TRAIN SERVICE TO CANTON.

No

GLE

Sea

THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF INDICATIONS RECENTLY THAT THE CHINESE

WILL SOON APPROACH US WITH FORMAL PROPOSALS FOR REVIVING THE THROUGH TRAIN SERVICE BETWEEN CANTON AND HONG KONG. THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF NCNA HAS ALREADY SAID AS MUCH INFORMALLY TO THE POLITICAL ADVISER. A THROUGH TRAIN SERVICE EXISTED BEFORE 1949 BUT HAS SINCE BEEN IN ABEYANCE, DESPITE TENTATIVE ATTEMPTS OVER

THE YEARS BY BOTH SIDES TO RESUME IT.

2. WE HAVE NO OBJECTION IN PRINCIPLE TO A THROUGH TRAIN SERVICE.

IT WOULD INDEED BE A GREAT BOON TO BUSINESS TRAVELLERS AND TOURISTS WE WOULD, HOWEVER, HAVE TO GET PRIOR AGREEMENT FROM THE CHINESE THAT THE THROUGH TRAIN WILL BE USED ONLY BY THOSE POSESSING VALID

DOCUMENTATION (AS SEEN BY US) FOR ENTERING HONG KONG AND ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR RETURNING THOSE WHO SLIP THROUGH THIS

RESTRICTION: WE WOULD ALSO WISH TO RESIST THE SUGGESTION, ALREADY

MADE INFORMALLY, THAT THE CHINESE SHOULD SET UP A CUSTOMS POST AT KOWLOON TO DEAL WITH THE THROUGH TRAIN. ANY SECURITY WORRIES THE CHINESE HAVE ABOUT BAGGAGE OR PEOPLE COULD BE DEALT WITH BY OTHER MEANS, AS THEY ARE ALREADY FOR AIR SERVICES AND THE

HOVER FERRY..

3. WE INTEND TO SPEAK AS IN PARA 2 IF AND WHEN THE CHINESE REVERT

TO THE MATTER MORE FORMALLY. IF THEY AGREE TO OUR CONDITIONS THE TECHNICAL DETAILS COULD BE WORKED CUT FAIRLY QUICKLY,

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HKGD

FED

MAED

TRED

FS .

MR.MURRAY

MR.STRATTON MR.CORTAZZI

PS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

PS/PUS

SIR A.DUFF

CONFIDENTIAL

COPIES TO:

HKGO.,LONDON.