had been co-operative with the authorities and thus compromise his
further use within the local communist organisation. This requires
careful consideration and is part of a present study by 3pecial
Branch. It will also require a carefully planned and subtle "build
up" before the release to avoid the communists realizing the nature
of the operation. "e shall also, of course, have to take into account
the need not to compromise currently productive sources or to imply
the extent of our knowledge of communist organisations.
20.
SUMMARY
(a) The 52 communist confrontation prisoners at V.R.C.
are held under 12 month detention orders issued under
Emergency (Principal) Regulations. The first expires on
27th September, 1968 and the last on 14th June, 1959;
(b) the C.P.G. has stated in unequivocable terms that it
will not accept the deportation of Chinese Nationals from
Hong Kong to China;
(c) the Chinese authorities have made it quite clear
that any attempt to arrange the return of detainees to
China is tantamount to deportation and therefore
unacceptable;
(a) there is no detainee whose importance to the communists
is such that they might be prepared to retract the
statements at (b) or (c) above to effect his release from
detention, and it is considered that there is no formula
acceptable at the present time to both the 0.P.G. and
the Hong Kong Government which will result in the retura
of detainees to China;
(e) while there are security and political grounds for
continuing to hold the detainees at present in V.R.C.
this will become more difficult to justify in future,
if present communist policy of non violence continues;
SECRET