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CONFIDENTIAL
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ARCHIVES No. 63 - 5 MAR1968
IMMEDIATE
Telno. 276
CONFIDENTIAL
HONG KONG
ΤΟ
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
5 March 1968
HWA3/
Addressed Commonwealth Office telegram No. 276 of 5 March. Repeated for information to Peking.
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Your telegram No. 245: Deportation of Communist Prisoners.
As I pointed out in paragraph 4 of my telegram No.150, the first prisoner against whom a deportation order is in force is
due for release on 19 March. A further seven prisoners against whom deportation orders have been made are due for release before the end of April.
2.
We must therefore decide quickly what to do about them. It would be contrary to all precedents for the Chinese to accept convicted prisoners but it might be more difficult to refuse them in the rôle of "political martyrs" which they have been given. The chances of acceptance seem on the whole small and failure might well prejudice the better (and to us more valuable) chances of getting rid of detainees. I do not think therefore that we should risk trying to deport the prisoners until we have tested the ground with the deportation of the two film stars. If we can get those two over, we could then offer the Chinese a mixed batch including both prisoners due for release and deportation and other detainees.
3. I should welcome your views, and those of Peking, on the possible timing of initiating the film star exercise, I would hope that you might agree that we could start on this as soon as we have seen:-
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(a) Whether the Chinese grant a visit to Grey; and
(b) What their reaction is on the issue of exit visas referred to in Peking telegram No.158.
4. It seems very unlikely that we shall be in a position to proceed with the deportation of the first released prisoner as early as 19 March, Nevertheless I am most reluctant to rescind the deportation order (thus letting it become apparent locally that the deportation weapon is a paper tiger) until deportation is clearly shown to be impracticable.
Hence I propose, notwithstanding the expiration of their prison sentences, to continue to hold these prisoners in custody (as I am entitled to do in law) pending an opportunity of attempting to execute the deportation orders. We cannot however continue to hold them indefintely.
Foreign Office pass Peking Immediate 87.
Sir D. Trench
[Repetition to Peking referred for departmental decis_on]
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