CONFIDENTIAL
Cypher/CAT A
IMMEDIATE PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Telegram No. 284
CONFIDENTIAL
5 April, 1968
431
(424
128A
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Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 284 of 5 April, Repeated for information to Hong Kong.
Your telegrams Nos. 330 and 331:
Following for Murray.
Sino-British Relations.
I welcome this decision but I very much hope that we shall not (repeat not) refuse to make further steps on entry visas and that as suggested in my telegram No. 242 we shall inform the Chinese in our reply on that statement that we accept their offer of 24 January and will allow free movement for Chinese officials.
2. In addition to arguments advanced in my telegrams Nos. 159 and 242 there are the following points:
HOT ON ÉILE
(a) as regards public opinion, the public are likely to be more concerned about our allowing NCNA officials to leave the United Kingdom freely (as they can now do) while Grey and other British subjects remain in custody, than about allowing NCNA at the moment to be in a position to enter the United Kingdom. It seems illogical to allow free exit while withholding free entry.
(b) we have now reached agreement over prison visits in Hong Kong (Hong Kong telegram No. 150) and can therefore look forward to early access to Grey. Even if we still insist on conditions laid down in your telegram No. 132 that NCNA entry visas depend on some progress being made over Grey that condition is now being met.
3. I think it important to record our acceptance of 24 January offer in our reply to the Chinese so that whatever obstacles related to Hong Kong there may still be affecting our staff movement we have at least cleared away all bilateral obstacles to free movement.
4.
I am informing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here of your Note to the Chinese Charge d'Affaires.
F.0. pass Hong Kong 196.
Sir D. Hopson
[Repeated as requested]
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