CONFIDENT FAL
*AMENDED COPY* -(29 FEBRUARY, 1968)
CYPHER CAT A
IMMEDIATE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO HONG KONG
TELNO 347 28 FEBRUARY, 1968 (H.K.D.)
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ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 347 OF 28 FEBRUARY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO: PEKING
M.I.P.T.: PRISON VISITS.
SUBJECT TO YOUR CONCURRENCE, THE FOLLOWING SHOULD NOW BE THE PLAN OF ACTION IN PEKING:
(A) SIR DONALD HOPSON SHOULD SAY TO THE CHINESE THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SEE HOW SOME PROGRESS COULD BE MADE OVER THE QUESTION OF VISITS TO IMPRISONED NCNA AND OTHER JOURNALISTS. ALL THESE PRISONERS HAVE OF COURSE BEEN RECEIVING REGULAR VISITS, BUT WE ARE NOW PREPARED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL VISITS TO SUCH PRISONERS. IF THE NAMES OF THE JOURNALISTS AT PRESENT IN PRISON ARE SUPPLIED TO US, WE ARE PREPARED TO AGREE (PROVIDED THAT THE PRISONER DOES NOT OBJECT) TO AN ADDITIONAL VISIT TO EACH INDIVIDUAL BY HIS EMPLOYER ACCOMPANIED BY ONE OTHER OFFICIAL OF THE NEWSPAPER EMPLOYING HIM OR ALTERNATIVELY BY ONE NCNA REPRESENTATIVE IF THIS IS PREFERRED.
(B) HOPSON SHOULD STRESS THAT THOSE IN QUESTION MUST BE BONA FIDE JOURNALISTS, AND SHOULD GO ON TO ENQUIRE THE NUMBERS LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED. HE SHOULD SUGGEST THAT THE NCNA IN HONG KONG SHOULD COMMUNICATE TO THE POLITICAL ADVISER THE NAMES OF THE PRISONERS AND THOSE PROPOSING TO VISIT THEM, IN ORDER THAT APPROXIMATE TIMES OF VISITS AND OTHER DETAILS MAY BE COMMUNICATED TO NCNA.
(C) IF THE CHINESE ASK HOPSON WHETHER VISITS BY NCNA ALONE ARE TO BE ALLOWED, HE SHOULD AT THIS STAGE CONFINE HIMSELF TO SAYING THAT HIS INSTRUCTIONS ARE THAT AN NCNA REPRESENTATIVE WILL BE ALLOWED TO ACCOMPANY THE EMPLOYER IN EACH CASE.
*(D) HOPSON SHOULD CONCLUDE WITH SOME FORM OF WORDS INDICATING
THAT WE EXPECT TO HEAR FROM THE CHINESE SOON ABOUT ACCESS TO GREY. (WITHOUT MAKING VISITS TO PRISONERS DIRECTLY CONDITIONAL UFON ACCESS TO GREY, WE WISH TO LEAVE THE CHINESE IN NO DOUBT THAT WE SEE THE TWO AS CONNECTED).*
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