SECRET
CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
PL NO. 2250
9 DECEMBER 1968
SECRET
ADDRESSED FCO TELEGRAM NO. 2250 OF 9TH DECEMBER REPEATED PEKING.
1
76
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 1644: GREY.
WE HAVE GLEANED NO MORE THROUGH OUR INFORMAL CHANNEL THAN IS REPORTED
IN MY TELEGRAM NO. 2246. WE HAVE NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF THE CHINESE
INTENTIONS REGARDING GREY.
2. BEGINNING WITH CRADOCKS PRESS CONFERENCE ON 39 OCTOBER THERE
HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE PUBLICITY IN THE LOCAL COMMUNIST PRESS ABOUT
DETAINEES, NEWSWORKERS AND CONFRONTATION PRISONERS GENERALLY. THE
GROWING AGITATION ELSEWHERE ON BEHALF OF GREY MAY HAVE ENCOURAGED
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO HOLD ON TO GREY LONGER IN THE HOPE OF
EXTRACTING SOME CONCESSIONS FROM US, BUT OUR BEST LOCAL INTELLIGENCE
IS THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ARE CONTEMPLATING HIS RELEASE.
ADMITTEDLY THAT INFORMATION IS NOW SOME WEEKS OLD BUT IT DOES SEEM
TO US WORTHWHILE TO MAINTAIN THE POLICY OF NOT BARGAINING OVER
GREY IN THE HOPE THAT THE PEKING GOVERNMENT, IN SPITE OF LOCAL
COMMUNIST AGITATION, WILL ACT UPON THOSE LINES.
LART
REF.
NEXT
REF.
FCO PLEASE PASS IMMEDIATE PEKING,
SIR D. TRENCH
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
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