CONFIDENTIAL
ARGUMENT
3.
any interference with the normal processes of law
in response to Chinese pressurew would raise very
grave issues for the future.
The N.C.N.A. Statement
The N.C.N.A. report is the first official public statement
by the Chinese authorities on the Grey question since the
publication of a statement by the Information Department of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 21 July, 1967 which gave as the
reason for Mr. Grey's detention the "persecution of patriotic
journalists" in Hong Kong. The purpose of the present statement
is to refute criticism of Chinese actions which have appeared
recently in the non-commünist press in many parts of the world
and to justify the continued detention of Mr. Grey now that all
the Chinese news workers referred to in the earlier statement
have been released. The statement rejected the charge that the
Chinese Government had "shifted its ground" and claimed that it
has all along followed a consistent line because "the Hong Kong
British authorities did not immediately release the eight
patriotic Chinese journalists. Instead, it went from bad to
worse and detained more patriotic Chinese journalists in
succession". It added "since the Hong Kong British authorities
continue to keep the thirteen patriotic Chinese journalists in
jail, the Chinese Government is fully justified in continuing
to restrict Grey's freedom of movement". The report attacked
2
CONFIDENTIAL