CONFIDENTIAL
Flag
eyes, with the risk that they will hold him even after the
two N.C.N.A. correspondents are released in Hong Kong.
(Hong Kong telegram No. 803); Mr. Gray was originally
held in retaliation only for the arrest of one of these.
3. Sir D. Hopson has replied that it is too late in the
day to delude the Chinese about our anxieties over Mr. Grey;
and that public and Parliamentary interest in his case in
the United Kingdom in any case precludes a show of
disinterest. Sir D. Hopson points out that he has already
pressed, without success, for non-consular visits by a
friend to Mr. Grey and repeats his recommendation for
another round of special visits in Hong Kong, on the same
terms as before, and on the understanding that he or a
member of his staff would be permitted another visit to
Mr. Grey (Peking telegram No. 596).
Plaga (595)
Flag
Recommendation
4. I recommend that we support Sir D. Hopson's proposal.
(36)
A draft telegram is attached. The Commonwealth Office
concur.
Background
5. At the time of Sir D. Hopson's first visit to Mr. Grey
we judged that no further visit would be permitted without
a further round of visits to the two N.C.M.A. correspondenta
and eighteen other "patriotic newspaper workers" imprisoned
in Hong Kong (Er. Kurray's submission of 2 May, attached).
In on interview granted to the Counsellor in Peking by the
/Chinese
CONFIDENTIAL