OUT SEOUL TELNO.144 OF 15/13 CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY
لق
UNIT 17 HUGHES
CONFIDENTIAL. 151213Z.
FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU AT REQUEST OF DEPARTMENT
WAS RECEIVED FROM GOVERNOR HONG KONG.
130400Z.
ADDRESSED TO FCO TELNO.734 OF 13 OCTOBER REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO PEKING WASHINGTON AND TOKYO (FOR MORGAN).
SICK CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.
I HAVE DECIDED TO RELEASE FOUR SICK CONFRONTATION PRISONERS ON
16 OCTOBER. THERE ARE THREE OTHER SICK PRISONERS WHOSE CASES WILL BE EXAMINED URGENTLY BUT EVEN IF IT IS DECIDED TO RELEASE THEM THEY CANNOT BE RELEASED THIS WEEK.
2. THE NAMES OF THE FOUR TO BE RELEASED ARE AS FOLLOWS:
NG (DUE FOR RELEASE IN JULY 1971) (OCTOBER 1973)
IT (MARCH 1973) (AUGUST 1974)
3. DURING MORGAN'S VISIT I HAD AGREED WITH HIM TO ARRANGE THE RELEASES ONLY IN NOVEMBER BUT IT NOW SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WOULD
BE BETTER TO MAKE SOME IMMEDIATELY IN ORDER TO AVOID POSSIBLE CRITICISM IF THE RELEASES COME AFTER MY DEPARTURE THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN ME AND THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. 4. THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY AGREES WITH THE ABOVE
ARRANGEMENTS.
5.
MR.ROYLE SUGGESTS THAT SIR STANLEY TOMLINSON SHOULD CALL IN THE CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, INFORM HIM THAT THE FOUR PRISONERS NAMED WILL BE RELEASED ON 16 OCTOBER BECAUSE OF THEIR ILL HEALTH AND THAT OTHER CASES ARE UNDER CONSIDER- ATION.
6. HE COULD SAY THIS ACTION BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS WELCOME TO HMG THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WISHES TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH CHINA AND HOPES THEREFORE THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE SIMILAR RELEASES E.G. OF CROUCH AND JOHNSTON.
7. IN HONG KONG WE SHALL HANDLE THE RELEASES IN AN ENTIRELY NORMAL MANNER AND GIVE THEM MINIMUM PUBLICITY.
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