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for premature release on the grounds that it is likely to:
(a) damage public confidence in Hong Kong;
(b) be interpreted by the Chinesc as a sign of wealmess;
undermine the credibility of the sanction of the
courts; and
(c)
(a)
encourage the Chinese to detain British subjects as
hostages in the future.
It is possible that the Grey family will argue that releace
only a few months in advance would not be too damaging in the
short term. They should, however, be told that we must
continue to bear in mind the long term implications of such a
course of action.
We
7. It is possible that the Grey family may ask whether we
intend to seek another special visit to Mr. Grey shortly.
have had this in mind for some time, but feared that a visit
might be positively harmful to him until we could tell him that
all eleven newsworkers were due for release by October and
thus hold out some prospect of an end to his ordeal. Now that
the announcement has been made covering Wong Chak, we are con-
sidering a further approach to the Chinese. In the circumstance!
we can only reply defensively that we shall explore the
possibilities but cannot say whether the Chinese will permit
it.
8. Our assessment of Mix Grey's state of mind is based
largely on his letters to Miss McGuinn, his girlfriend, which
she discusses fairly freely with us. But relations beteen
His Grey and Miss McGuinn (who seems to me an admirably sensible
girl) are apparently not cordial, and it might be tactful not
to mention Miss McGuinn.
19. I
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