GRS 250
CONFIDENTIAL
Никого
1.
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 080845Z MAY 80
TO ROUTINE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 114 OF 8 MAY
INFO HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON FCO MOD
школь
ROMB
Aw 915-
16
PEKING TELNO 53 TO HONG KONG: INCIDENT IN DEEP BAY. NCNA ALSO SPOKE TO ACTING PA ON THIS SUBJECT ON 5 MAY. THEIR STATEMENT WAS MUCH BRIEFER THAN THAT MADE BY MFA, BEING LARGEL Y CONFINED TO SAYING THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES HAD INVESTIGATED THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE COLLISION AND HAD CONCLUDED THAT THERE WERE FAULTS ON BOTH SIDES. IN ORDER NOT TO IMPAIR GOOD RELATIONS, THEY WERE PREPARED TO REGARD THE MATTER AS CLOSED. NCNA MADE NO REFERENCE TO THE EARLIER INCIDENT (LAST SENTENCE PARA 2 OF TUR).
see 8
2. ACTING PA TOOK NOTE OF THE STATEMENT AND SAID THAT WE TOO HAD MADE INVESTIGATIONS AND EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AT A CONSIDERED VIEW SHORTLY, WHEN WE WOULD COMMUNICATE WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES.
HE ADDED THAT WE MIGHT WISH TO SUGGEST ARRANGEMENTS TO AVOID ANY
RECURRENCE IN FUTURE.
3. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE NAVAL BOARD OF ENQUIRY CONCLUDED THAT.
THE CAUSE OF THE MISHAP WAS A FAILURE BY THE CHINESE VESSEL TO FOLLOW INTERNATIONAL NAVIGATION PROCEDURES. THE DAMAGE TO THE RN HOVERCRAFT IS BEING REPAIRED AT A COST OF HK DOLLARS 330,000. WE ARE NOW CONSIDERING WHAT LINE TO TAKE WITH THE CHINESE AND SHALL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU AGAIN.
4. CLARIFICATION ON ONE ASPECT OF ZHENG'S STATEMENT WOULD BE HELPFUL. ALTHOUGH HE MENTIONED THE EARLIER INCIDENT (WHICH TOOK PLACE IN MIRS BAY LAST AUTUMN), WAS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT HE WAS PROPOSING THAT ONLY THE DEEP BAY INCIDENT **SHOULD BE FORGOTTEN'', IE WERE THE CHINESE IMPLICITLY RESERVING THEIR POSITION ON THE PREVIOUS INCIDENT? THIS IS RELEVANT TO OUR CONSIDERATION AS WE MAY AIM IN ANY SETTLEMENT TO COVER BOTH OCCURRENCIES.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
HKG D
DEF D
FED
SIR.D. MAITLAND
MR MURRAY MR STRATTON
COPIES
TO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
LONDON
THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT
ADVANCED
CONFIDENTIAL
17
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