CONFIDENTIAL
Hang King Dept. 109
NOTE FOR THE RECORD
Mr. Grey and Hong Kong
The Secretary of State held an Office meeting on
13 December to discuss Mr. Grey with particular reference to
the Hong Kong aspecte. The Governor of Hong Kong was present.
DISCUSSION
2.
Discussion was on the basis of the recommendations in
Far Eastern Department's submission of 12 December and
Mr. Moreton's minute of the same date.
It was agreed that the time had come to do what we could
to restrain publicity about Mr. Grey in the belief that the
Chinese would be more likely to release 'hin when not evidently
under pressure.
It was noted that the co-operation of Reuters
1.
would be essential in this; and Far Eastern Department undertook to be in touch with Nr. Long, the General Manager.
It was also agreed that we should continue to resist
pressure to take retaliatory action against the Chinese in this countr The Governor suggested however that it might
be worth looking into the possibility of some informal boycott
by the press of the activities of the New China News Agency. (Par Eastern Department are looking into this.)
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Discussion centred on the on the only point on which
there was any considerable difference of emphasis between the
Far Eastern Department and the Governor. Far Eastera
Department had pressed the advantages of releasing all the
/ romeining
CONFIDENTIAL