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CYPHER/CAT-A-
RIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NUMBER 188
TO HONG KONG
14 MARCH 1969
(F.E.D.)
SECRET.
ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 188 OF 14 MARCH REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO PEKING.
PERSONAL FROM GALSWORTHY.
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YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 212 OF 10 MARCH: GREY.
WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR THE THOUGHT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THE PROBLEM PRESENTED BY
WHAT YOU NOW PROPOSE SEEMS
TO US TO MEET MOST OF THE SPECIAL DIFFICULTIES OF THE CASE, AND TO HAVE THE ADDED ADVANTAGE OF DEMONSTRATING TO THE CHINESE THAT WE ARE NOT COMPLETELY INFLEXIBLE IN THE MATTER OF LONG-TERM ''CONFRONTATION' PRISONERS. I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE LOCAL SNAGS BUT HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FIND WAYS OF OVERCOMING THEM. I AGREE THAT THE WHOLE OPERATION MUST BE PLAYED AS STRAIGHT- FORWARDLY AS POSSIBLE.
2. CAN YOU GIVE US ANY INDICATION OF TIMING? WHEN DO YOU ENVISAGE THAT THE BOARD OF REVIEW MIGHT TAKE A DECISION ON
IF ITS ADVICE WERE FOR EXAMPLE THAT REDUCTION OF HIS SENTENCE FROM FIVE YEARS TO THREE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AND THIS ADVICE WERE ACCEPTED BY YOU, PRESUMABLY WONG WOULD IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF EVENTS BE. SO INFORMED: AND THE MATTER WOULD SHORTLY THEREAFTER BECOME PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. FROM THE TACTICAL POINT OF VIEW HERE THE EARLIER WE CAN MOVE TO THIS POSITION THE BETTER. ONCE WE COULD TELL REUTERS AND OTHERS HERE THAT ALL ELEVEN NEWSWORKERS WERE DUE FOR RELEASE (WITH REMISSION) IN SEPTEMBER WE WOULD BE BETTER PLACED
/TO
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