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Hong Kong telegram No. 1699 to Commonwealth Office
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E. Release of personnel.
The Chinese have not recently outlined their views on this, but we expect them to ask for Iu Wong-kwai and the four Hong Kong fishermen to be released at Lo Wu the day after the agree- ment has been concluded, and for us to give a prior guarantee of their good health.
We propose to say that we agree that on the day following the conclusion of an agreement we will release these five people on the understanding that Iu does not return to British territory on pain of immediate arrest. Their release will be made simultaneously with the release by the Chinese side of the three policemen, etc. We shall give an assurance that the five men are in as good a state of health as when they entered British territory. We shall ask for an assurance that the state of health of our personnel will similarly be as good as when they were taken into custody.
Foreign Office please pass to Washington as my telegram 380.
Sir D. Trench
[Repeated as requested]
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.O. Hong Kong Dept.
I & G Dept.
F.E. & P.D.
Defence Dept.
News Dept.
F.O. F.E.D.
D.D. & P.U.S.D.
J.I.R.D.
J.I.P.G.D. DIS. MOD.
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