1:
(and elsewhere) at risk.
5 CONFIDENTIAL
Mr. Maw urged that notwithstanding
this HMG should respond to such an offer if it were made
by the Chinese.
9.
Reverting to what we were doing to secure the release
of Mr. Grey, Lord Shepherd explained why we had to tread so
carefully. He pointed out that if we created too much of
a fuss about Mr. Grey's confinement the Chinese might be
tempted, in order to put a respectable gloss on their
action,/charge him before their Courts with some specific
crime, find him guilty and put him in prison for a definite
term. If this were to happen our hands would be tied still
further.
ما
10. Mr. Maw asked whether HMG had any bargaining counter.
For example, could we take similar action against any
Chinese? Lord Shepherd said that this was not a realistic
possibility. There were some who said, "Why not arrest
the members of the NCNA in London?" But no doubt the
Chinese Government would regard these people as being expendable and the danger of more savage reprisals against
British nationals in China ould not be ruled out.
11. Mrs. Grey asked whether Lord Shepherd thought that her
son was in any physical danger. Lord Shepherd said that
he was convinced that the Chinese would do nothing to harm
him. Her son was now known internationally and he doubted whether the Chinese would do anything which would bring world opinion firmly against them. Mr. Maw concurred in
this.
CONFIDENTIAL
/12.
:
Page 45Page 46