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best to let the case of Hsueh take its course. He will be
due for release, with remission (which we do not contemplate
withholding) on 17 November. Thereafter the Governor believes
Mr. Grey may be released quite quickly. I have my doubts, but
believe we should go along with the Governor to that stage.
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12. Thereafter, if Mr. Grey is not released, we shall be under
greater pressure than ever either to retaliate against Chinese
citizens here (which would gravely prejudice Mr. Grey's chances)
or to make the appropriate concessions in Hong Kong. Reuters
are likely to be among those pressing for the latter solution.
Public indignation about Mr. Grey will grow rapidly if he is
not released shortly after the release of Hsuch, and sympathy
on his behalf must be expected to increase with the approach
of Christmas. I believe that we should allow no more than
about a month for the Governor's method to demonstrate its
effectiveness. If by mid-December Mr. Grey has not been
released we shall have to press the Governor hard to release
Lo without conditions. Fortunately he has indicated in Hong
Kong telegram No. 1028 of 28 August that at that point he
might indeed agree that this was the only way.
13. The foregoing line of argument was agreed with the
Commonwealth Office before the arrival of Hong Kong telegram
No. 2051 in which the Governor has commented on Mr. Cradock'e
proposal for immediate unilateral release of Hsueh and Lo.
Though the argument not to release Hsueh in the hope of
securing Mr. Grey's release is in itself trying to strike a
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