CYPHER/CAT'A'
ROUTINE
CONFIDENTIAL
HONG KONG
то
TELEGRAM NUMBER 386
TOP COPY
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
12 JULY 1968
H.
CONFIDENTIAL.
ADDRESSED COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NO. 866 DATED 12TH
JULY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO PEKING.
1650
MY TELEGRAM NO. 662: RELEASE OF DETAINEES.
COMMUNIST REACTION TO THE RELEASE OF THE TWO DETAINEES WAS SLOW AND
HAS BEEN COMPARATIVELY MILD. THEY WERE RELEASED AT 6 P.M. ON
SATURDAY, OTH JULY AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY MADE CONTACT WITH COMMUNIST
CIRCLES. THE FIRST PRESS MENTION OF THE RELEASE WAS IN A REPORT IN
THE HONG KONG EVENING NEWS ON TUESDAY, 9TH JULY WHICH STATED THE
FACTS AND COMMENTED IN LOW KEY THAT THE ARRESTS WERE UNJUSTIFIED,
THAT THE RELEASE OF TWO PRISONERS WAS NOT ENOUGH AND THAT IF THE
HONG KONG BRITISH WANT TO EASE THE SITUATION THEY MUST SET ALL
DETAINEES FREE. A SIMILAR LINE WAS TAKEN THE NEXT DAY BY TWO OTHER
MINOR PAPERS. THE FIRST HENTION IN THE MAJOR COMMUNIST PAPERS WAS
ON 11TH JULY WHEN THE FOUR CHAIN PAPERS CLAIMED THAT UNDER THEIR
BRAVE STRUGGLE, WITH SUPPORT VOICED BY FAMILIES AND COMPATRIOTS,
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS COMPELLED TO RELEASE THEM AND SEND THEM
HOME STEALTHILY'.
2. IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THEY HAVE NOT SO FAR PRODUCED THE EX-
DETAINEES FOR. ANY CELEBRATION. IT IS PERHAPS WORTHY OF MENTION THAT
THEY GAVE THEM A VERY THOROUGH MEDICAL EXAMINATION, THE RESULTS OF
WHICH HAVE NO DOUST INDICATED THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO MOUNT
CLAIMS ABOUT PHYSICAL MALTREATMENT.
650
RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No.63)
CONFIDENTIAL
15 JUL1968
MUA
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73. RIGHT