P
PRIORITY
GOVERNOR HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
GOVERNOR HONG KONG
PEKING
PEKING
FO: F.E.D.
News Consular Defence JIPGD
CO: Hong Kong
News Defence D.I.S.
Peking telegram No. 698: British policy towards
China.
As we view the situation from here, and
subject of course to your views as regards the
Hong Kong end, we see force in Sir D. Hopson's
arguments in favour of the release of a signi-
cant number of detainees as "an act of de-
escalation", provided the Chinese implement in
full their undertaking to grant all outstanding
visas for the Mission. You have already indi-
cated broad agreement with the study on detai-
nees (your telegram 802) which recommended that
consideration be given to the unconditional
release" within the Colony of a small group of
the less important Communists and -idepending
on Communist and public reaction to a phased
../release
CONFIDENT IAL