C.O.
F.0.
DSAO.
CONFIDENTIAL
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NO,246 TO HONG KONG,
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(C) IF WE NOW EQUATE A VISIT TO GREY WITH VISITS TO 14 JOURNALISTS, THE CHINESE MIGHT WELL BE ENCOURAGED TO BARGAIN GREY'S RELEASE FOR THE DEPORTATION (OR EVEN RELEASE IN HONG KONG) OF ALL FOURTEEN INSTEAD OF ONE, OR AT THE MOST TWO, N.C.N.A. REPORTERS.
4. YOUR OBJECTION ABOUT DISCRIMINATING BETWEEN PRISONERS REMAINS RELEVANT BUT WE THINK THAT AT SOME STAGE GREY'S WELFARE MAY HAVE TO TAKE PRECEDENCE. IN ANY CASE WE HAVE ALREADY MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO TREAT N. C. N.A. PRISONERS DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHERS, AND PRESUMABLY THE ONLY POINT WHICH DISTINGUISHES THEM FROM THE QUOTE PATRIOTIC UNQUOTE JOURNALISTS IS THAT THE ORGANISATION FOR WHICH THE FORMER WORK IS C.P. G. OWNED, WHILE THOSE FOR WHICH THE LATTER WORK ARE INDIRECTLY SUBSIDISED BY THE C.P.G.
5. IN ANY CASE THERE MIGHT BE ADVANTAGE IN ASKING THE N.C.N.A. DIRECT WHY THEY HAD NOT AVAILED THEMSELVES OF THE OFFER TO PAY AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO THEIR REPORTERS. YOU COULD ASK IF THIS MEANT THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER INTERESTED IN SUCH VISITS.
6. GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS.
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