CONFIDENAT A
-7
:
(b) To exempt N.C.N.A. London Office from the
relazation of the exit visa requirement until
such time as Mr. Grey is released.
I am against this. We are not in fact preventing
N.C.N.A. staff from leaving since if they were to apply for permission we would almost certainly grant it. But given the Chinese refusal to comply with our regulations, we can be represented as in effect
and it is undesirable preventing them from leaving;
to give the Chinese any pretext whatsoever for keeping
Mr. Grcy.
(c) To refuse to grant any entry visas for N.C.N.A.
until Mr. Grey is released.
This would be easier to present to the public
But here although this is not the central issue. in addition we cannot altogether exclude the possi- bility that it might help us to obtain better terms from the Chinese in respect of Mr. Grey. Admittedly
thore is a real risk that the Chineso, knowing how
anxious we must be to secure the release of members
of our Mission, will refuse to make any moves on
other points until we have given them complete satisfaction on N.C.I.A. If we were subsequently
forced to concede on this, we might be in a worse situation than if we decided to meet all the Chinese "domando" now. However, reluctant though I am to go
against the advice of Sir Donald and to take the
CONFIDENTIAL
/risk