CONFIDENTIAL
291
Cypher/Cat A
IMMEDIATE PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Telno 114 8 February, 1968
C IDENTIAL
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No.114 of 8 February Repeated for information to Hong Kong.
281) Your telegrams Nos. 132 and 133. [Exit and Entry Visas).
I was naturally disappointed by these instructions. They risk casting away a splendid chance to settle our staff movement problem cleanly, quickly and on reasonable terms. By linking NCNA entry visas with Grey we may find we have forced Chinese to bring Hong Kong back into what could have been a purely bilateral settlement without helping Grey himself, And we do this while apparently remaining unwilling to make decisive. concessions on key factors for Grey, i.e., Hong Kong prisoners.
7
Su
2. I am however grateful for efforts made to meet my recommendations on all other points and for flexibility allowed by instructions. We have prevented [sic] package as persuasively as we could and must now await Chinese reply. I will not try to forecast what this will be. We do not know what importance Chinese attach to a return to normality in our relations, But by withholding NCNA visas, introducing Grey into equation, and asking for prior assurances as well or a given form of your instructions, we have made operation much more difficult for Chinese. This will certainly cause delay and may, as admitted in your telegram No.133, prejudice chances of an early solution. I should not (repeat not) be surprised if Chinese continue to insist that their demands be met in full before reciprocal concessions are made, while asking a high price for Grey in terms of Hong Kong prisoners. What do we do then?
3. I should like to make some comments on points raised in your telegram No.133. The first, which I have tried to make repeatedly in telegrams, and which has been confirmed by our exchanges with Chinese, particularly those of 31 December; 28 January and 30 January is that Grey's case is linked directly with Hong Kong prisoners and until we are ready to make substantial concessions on this sector we shall not have Consular access to him or procure his release. It is for this reason among others that I have argued for acts of clemency in Hong Kong and for concessions to meet Chinese terms over prison visits. These recommendations were rejected. Withholding the entry visas for NCNA while remaining tough in Hong Kong, will not help Grey and may merely prevent us settling our own movement problem. understand the anxiety about Grey's state of health, or indeed his sanity. I am surprised however that these anxieties were not put to the Governor when last week we could have assured ourselves of immediate access to Grey by allowing special NCNA visits to twelve more men in Hong Kong (in the light of our anxieties not a massive concession). The conclusion that might be drawn is that.
/we are
LAST
REF
10X1
r f
287 2938298
CONFIDENTIAL
I
Page 90Page 91