Cypher/Cat A
SECRET
598
PRIORITY PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE -
Telno 601 25 June 1968
SECRET
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 601 of 25 June Repeated for information to Hong Kong
590 590 Hong Kong telegram No. 802.
I am grateful to the Governor for his careful examination of the question of possible releases and agree with his general conclusion that releases in Hong Kong are now the only practicable course. I should be grateful if a copy of the study in question could be sent to me as soon as possible.
It
2. I am also very glad to see the possibility of the release of detainees even if only a very few. I am sure it would improve the general atmosphere. I must however add the warning that this is unlikely to be a satisfactory test case since we cannot expect that it will by itself produce a positive Chinese response. would be a different matter if we could manage the release of prisoners in a sensitive sector, e.g. News workers. But a few detainees released are not likely by themselves to produce anything very tangible for us. So that absence or Chinese response in this case must not, repeat not be taken as conclusive on the efficacy or otherwise of releases as a whole. For a release of very small numbers to be of any use as a test it must be in as sensitive a sector as possible.
3. This leads me to ask that we examine most carefully whether releases of News workers are still out or the question. They were not guilty of serious violence. Nor are they going to indulge in violence now if released. They are important in Chinese eyes and a substantial gesture here would be extremely likely to prompt reciprocal gestures e.g. release of urey. We must think very carefully indeed before rejecting or postponing this course.
4. As regards detainees, any good effect would depend on their being released without having been "neutralized". If the Communists believe that detainees are being tampered with or that only compromised detainees are being let out the whole value of the gesture is lost.
5. As regards remission (paragraph 4 of telegram under reference), the suggested rate would, I agree, be unprecedented. But the situation we face is also without precedent.
Would it
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RECEIVES IN
ARCHIVES No.63 28 JUN1968
SECRET
HIWA 3/2
LAST
R
593 602,607
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