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FILE COPY
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29 January 1969.
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Dear David,
In Arthur Galsworthy's absence, I am replying to your letter to him of 23 December in which you review the position on detainees. He was very grateful for this.
2.
Since you wrote, twelve releases have been made (including the ten you envisaged in your letter). Ministers have seen your report and agree that, so far as the remaining four detainees are concerned, the policy should be continued of releasing them as soon as possible, having regard to security considerations and to public opinion in Hong Kong.
3.
In the light of the additional information provided in your exchange of telegrams with Peking (your telegram no.14 to Peking refers), Ministers have also considered your proposals to release suitable cases under police supervision orders and agree that detainees might at your discretion be released under these orders in preference to their continued detention.
4.
We have noted Cradock's suggestion (in his telegram no.12 to you) that supervision orders carry the risk of a Chinese reaction. Indeed, as he pointed out, the imposition of the order on detainee no.15 has been denounced in your Communist press as "fascist persecution";
but this is making no more than propaganda use of the subject. It is possible that much more might be made of the re-arrest and imprisonment of a detainee. However, the latter risk seems a slight one in view of the way in which you intend to operate and enforce such orders, as detailed in your telegram.
5.
One further point occurred to us, to which you have, no doubt, given careful thought. The systematic flouting of these orders must bring them into some disrepute and might be
/seen
HIS EXCELLENCY SIR DAVID TRENCH, GCMG, MC,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, VICTORIA,
HONG KONG.
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