YPHER CAT A
#VEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM HUMBER 704
CONFIDENTIAL 13040ZZ
סיה
CONFIDENTIAL
55
TOP COP!
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
13 OCTOBER 197%
ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, TELEGRAM
NUMBER 784 OF 13 OCTOBER 1973 REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO
PEKING, VASHINGTON AND TOK (FOR MORGAN)
SICK CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.
I HAVE TECIDED TO RELEASE FOUR SICK CONFRONTATION PRISONERS
UN 16 OCTOBER. THERE ARE THREE CTHER SICK PRISONERS WHOSE CASES
WILL BE EXA-INED URGENTLY BUT EVEN IF IT IS DECIDED TO RELCASE
THEM THEY CANNOT BE RELEASED THIS WEEK.
2. THE NAMES OF THE FOUR TO BE RELEASED ARE AS FOLLOWS:
(DUE FOR RELEASE IN JULY 1971)
(OCTOBER 1973)
(MARCH 1973)
(AUGUST 1974)
+
6422 HKK1/12
2. QURING MORGAN'S VISIT I HAD AGREED WITH HIS TO ARRANGE THE
RELEASES ONLY IN NOVEMBER BUT IT NOW SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WOULD
DE PETTER 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
CONSIDERATION
6. HE COULD SAY THIS ACTION BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS
WELCOME TO H.M.G. 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.
/FCO PLEASE
CONFIDENTIAL