Submision
now
FO. Comentance.
22.5.
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New Caster
Mr. Hay The Hiuster of State hos
appssed them resmendations.
22/3.
Reference..
388
I attach a Foreign Office submission (with which
I concur) on the subject of the film stars held in Hong Kong. The Minister of State's approval of the
recommendation in paragraph 2 and draft telegram is
sought.
2.
As the Minister is aware, we attempted to deport (or "release to China") these two detainees to test whether the Chinese would accept further deportations of this nature; we hoped that, if successful, it might open the way to an exchange for Mr. Grey, the Reuter's correspondent held in Peking, or might indicate a basis for solving the problem of communist
prisoners in Hong Kong which the Chinese could regard
as a satisfactory way of meeting their most important and difficult "demand". The attempt has failed, and the Chinese reaction was a "serious protest"
delivered on 15 March to Sir D. Hopson.
#
3. In his telegram No.344 the Governor has proposed
that we should stress to the Chinese the second of
these intentions behind our move. Sir D. Hopson 38 supports this in Peking telegram No.223. We also
agree, but with two reservations on points of detail.
These are :
(a) The Governor recommends a simultaneous
approach on four fronts (formally in Peking and London and informally through our Bank
of China contact and the China Merchants
Steam Navigation Company in Hong Kong). For reasons indicated in paragraph 7 of the submission we (and Sir D. Hopson) consider that initially the approach should be confined to one informal approach (through the Bank of China contact).
(b) The Governor suggests, in his proposed terms
of approach in paragraph 4 of his telegram, that we should mention the tendentious line
being taken by NCNA in talks in Hong Kong about prison visits. However in paragraph 6 of his telegram he says he does not want the question of the film stars to be drawm into the talks with NCNA. We agree, and consider that in these circumstances it would
be unwise to mention the NCNA talks in this
context.
22 March, 1968
L.s. Carter
(W. S. Carter)
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