CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY FOREIGN OFFICE TO PEKING
TELNO 460 7 MAY 1968
(FED)
540
CONFIDENTIAL.
ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NUMBER 460 OF 7 MAY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG.
M.I.P.T. : GREY.
THE GOVERNOR EXPRESSED HIS FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE DILEMMA WE FACE OVER GREY'S RELEASE, AND AGREED THAT IT WAS UNFORTUNATELY LIKELY THAT THIS COULD NOT BE ACHIEVED UNTIL THE QUESTION OF THE TWO N.C.N.A. REPORTERS HAS BEEN SETTLED TO CHINESE SATISFACTION. THE CHINESE PRICE WOULD PROBABLY BE THE UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF ALL JOURNALISTS AND NEWSPAPER WORKERS UNDER DETENTION. THE GOVERNOR EMPHASISED 'THAT THOUGH THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG HAD GREATLY IMPROVED THE COMMUNISTS WERE CONSTANTLY SEEKING WAYS TO UNDERMINE THE GOVERNMENT'S AUTHORITY AND THAT THERE WERE THEREFORE SEVERE LIMITATIONS ON CONCESSIONS WHICH COULD BE MADE AT THIS STAGE.
2. THE GOVERNOR MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO RELEASE ALL QUOTE JOURNALIST PRISONERS UNQUOTE AND ANY NUMBER OF OTHER LEFT-WING PRISONERS, PROVIDED THAT THEY IMMEDIATELY LEFT THE COLONY AND THERE WAS NO COMMITMENT TO ALLOW THEM BACK AT ANY STAGE. BUT HE EMPHASISED THAT THE RELEASE IN THE COLONY OF THE
N.C.N.A. REPORTERS OR OTHER PRISONERS IN CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH
IT COULD NOT BE GUARANTEED THAT THEY WOULD LEAVE STILL PRESENTED
VERY GREAT DIFFICULTY: IF THEY DID NOT LEAVE, THERE WAS NO WAY IN WHICH THEY COULD AGAIN BE DETAINED. UNFORTUNATELY EXPERIENCE
OVER THE ATTEMPTED DEPORTATION OF THE FILM STARS SUGGESTED THAT
THE CHINESE WOULD BE UNWILLING TO ACCEPT ANYTHING SHORT OF
UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE. WE AGREED, HOWEVER, THAT IT WOULD BE WORTH
TESTING CHINESE INTENTIONS AGAIN IN THE WAY SUGGESTED IN 24 PARAGRAPH 2 OF HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 530 TO THE COMMONWEALTH
OFFICE.
13.
539 547,548
CONFIDENTIAL
p.a.
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ماره
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