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scarcely fair to suggest that he has gone
back on a policy already agreed.
3.
he is certainly room for argument, as the
Governor himself has conceded, about the extent
of the security risks involved in any particular
release. But as he has indicated in Para. 2 of
Hong Kong telegram no. 2038 there were special
reasons why it was decided to renew the detention
of Number 3. Likewise it was decided after careful
consideration that it would be better to defer the
release of the two film stars until the period of
National Days celebrations because of the commotion
which might be caused at an already difficult time by
the release of persons enjoying wide personal
popularity. In matters of this sort and indeed
in security questions as a whole you will I am sure agree that it is very difficult to try to play the'
hand anywhere but in Hong Kong. It was for this
reason that we decided not to ask the Governor to
reconsider his decision not to release any more
detainees until after the holiday.
We see some force however in the points you
make about security in relation to current Chinese
policy, and about public opinion and propaganda.
We shall wish to discuss these very fully with
the Governor in the course of consultations in the
week beginning 21 October.
In the meantime I do
not think that any useful purpose would be served
if we tried to define policy more precisely.
032717 E.W.& S.,Ltd. 164m 3/67.
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