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a gesture over the newsworkers which seemed, in Mr. Denson's view, likely to cost very little in present circumstances in
Hong Kong, this could accelerate the trend towards further
"normalisation" and might result in at any rate some of tho other detained prisoners being released more quickly.
He
7. In his late it letter of 7 August to the Secretary of
Stato, Ir. Lorgays that he had hoped that the chances of
ho
the Chinese hono ring their assurance over Mr. Grey might have been inci ea ed by the release of the Hong Kong prisoners
some very short ime before the end of their sentences.
added that at th moment the British Government had in its
hand a gesture wich most people believed would free Kr. Grey, but what would i have if Mr. Grey's release did not follow that of the Hong Kong prisoners.
·
8. In brief, te arguments in favour of the premature release of all eleven newsworkers within the next fortnight
are these.
(a) It would be a re-insurance that the Chinese will abide
by their uni ertaking to release Mr. Gray.
(b) It would shorten Mr. Grey's ordeal.
(c) It would be a gesture which might help, even if only
slightly, to vards an accommodation with the Chinese
over Hong Ko g.
(a)
It might predispose the Chinese to be less intransigent in the matter of other British subjects detained in China.
CONFIDENTIAL