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the desirability of the premature release of Lo. In view of
the Governor's strong objections to this course, it would be
wiser not to raiseit with Mr. Long. I have included guarded
defensive talking points in case Mr. Long raises these subjects.
5. Since Mr. Long's visit there have been further developments
in Grey's case. On 2 November the N.C.N.A. in Hong Kong asked
the Hong Kong Government for a further round of visits to
Chinese correspondents and newspaper workers imprisoned in the
Colony. In return the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Peking
gave our Chargé d'Affaires to understand that arrangements
would be made for officials to visit Grey after the visits to
newspaper men in Hong Kong had taken place.
6.
The first and last occasion on which we were given access
to Grey took place on 23 April this year and was also in
exchange for visits to Chinese newspaper men in Hong Kong.
On 6 July Mr. Cradock made a further offer of an exchange of
visits to the Chinese without eliciting any response. This
was in addition to our repeated representations for consular
access to Grey.
7. It is not clear what effect this development will have on
Grey's prospects for release following the release of Hsueh on
16 November. Subject to satisfactory arrangements being agreed
in Hong Kong for the visit to Chinese journalists there is no
reason to doubt that the Chinese authorities will permit a
further visit to Grey. In presenting their request the N.C.N.A.
have demanded a meeting with the whole group of prisoners
/ (14 persons)
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