CYPHER/CAT A
ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 232
SECRET
215
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
18 MARCH 1969
214
SECRET
ADDRESSED FCO AS MYTEL NO. 232 OF 18TH MARCH RFI PEKING.
MARC
PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY. YOUR TEL. 188. GREY.
CURRENT POSITION IS AS FOLLOWS. THERE ARE 43 PRISONERS IN
THE 4-5 YEAR GROUP. OF THESE, LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR REDUCTION
OF SENTENCE ON BASIS OF PARA 4 OF MY TEL. NO. 212 ARE 3 MEN
(INCLUDING WONG CHAK) AND 2 WOMEN.
2. PAPERS AND REPORTS WILL NEVERTHELESS HAVE TO BE PREPARED
FOR ALL 43 AND BEST ESTIMATE OF TIMING IS THAT A DECISION
MIGHT BE POSSIBLE AT EARLIEST BY THE END OF APRIL AND AT
LATEST BY THE END OF MAY.
3. THOSE WHOSE SENTENCES WERE TO BE REDUCED WOULD NORMALLY
BE TOLD STRAIGHT AWAY, BUT NEED NOT NECESSARILY BE.
4. ONCE PRISONERS WERE TOLD, MATTER WOULD BECOME PUBLIC
KNOWLEDGE SINCE PRISONERS THEMSELVES WOULD DISCLOSE THE NEWS
TO VISITORS OR BY LETTER. INDEED, SO MANY ARE INVOLVED IN
PREPARING THE NECESSARY REPORTS FOR THE BOARD THAT SOME WORD
OF THE EXERCISE BEING IN PROGRESS MAY LEAK EARLIER.
THIS MUST BE RISKED, ALTHOUGH WE WILL TAKE WHAT STEPS WE CAN
TO PREVENT IT.
5. ON THE WHOLE THEREFORE, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE BEST
TO TELL THE PRISONERS AS SOON AS A DECISION IS REACHED AND
SIMULTANEOUSLY TO DISCLOSE THIS PUBLICLY: UNLESS YOU FEEL THAT
THE EFFECT OF DISCLOSURE ON THE CHINESE MIGHT HAVE WORN OFF
BY SEPTEMBER AND THAT GREY'S CHANCES OF RELEASE MIGHT BE IMPROVED
BY A LATER DISCLOSURE. WHILE I FEEL THAT THIS POINT OUGHT
NOT TO GO UNMENTIONED, I DOUBT IF THERE IS MUCH WEIGHT IN IT. 6. I HAVE NOW GIVEN SOME PRELIMINARY THOUGHT TO GENERAL
PUBLICITY AND SUPPLEMENTARY EXPLANATION. FORMER I CONSIDER
SHOULD BE ON FOLLOWING LINES. IT WAS NOW SOME TWO YEARS
SINCE HEIGHT OF CONFRONTATION AND SECURITY SITUATION HAD
MUCH IMPROVED. GOVERNOR HAD THEREFORE DECIDED THAT IN THE
EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES IT WOULD NOT BE INAPPROPRIATE TO
ASK THE BOARD OF REVIEW, AS HE WAS ENTITLED TO DO UNDER PRISON
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/RULES,
}