TILERE 15 TO BE A FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT

0' 12 DECEMBER. THIS WILL GIVE MINISTERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFER TO THE
PLIGHT OF GREY AND OTHER BRITISH SUBJECTS DETAINED IN

CHINA,

2. IF OUR CHARGE D'AFFAIRES HAS NOT SUCCEEDED IN MAKING

REPRESENTATIONS TO THE CHINESE ABOUT GREY IN THE MEANTIME IT IS

THE INTENTION TO HAVE SHEN PING CALL HELE ON 10 DECEMBER.

3. WE SHALL IN ANY CASE BE REVIEWING THE NEXT STEPS WITH THE GOVERNOR ON
13 DECEMBER PRIOR TO HIS RETURN. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD LET US
HAVE BY 1000 HOURS BST ON 10 DECEMBER ANY RECENT INFORMATION WHICH YOU
MAY HAVE GLEANED THROUGH YOUR INFORMAL CHANIEL OR FROM OTHER SOURCES,
WHICH MIGHT CAST LIGHT ON THE INTENTIONS OF THE CHINESE WITH REGARD TO
GREY.

STEWART

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

F. EAST. D,

HONG KONG DEPT.

NELS DEPT.

+

CONSULAM DE

DEPT.

SECRET

!

17352

6/12/08

NOTHING TO BE WRITING in this

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

FEC

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

JM

SECRET

PRIORITY MARKINGS

(Date)

Kardashind

6/12

Flash

Immediaca

• Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

THER

reach addressee(s)

в

Despatched

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

[Security_if any

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[

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M

SECRET

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Cypher

Draft Telegram to:-

No

2/644

Hàng trong (Date) 6/12

And to:-

Immedid

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Addressed to

telegram No.....

And to

י.

1644

HONG KONG

--------------------------------|

repeated for information to

Saving to

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----

(date)

MILL

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6 December

[IMMEDIATE) PEKING

----- -. -...

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SZINTZILIPE

------

117

----

Saving to:-

Distribution:-

Jefatural

RED. Har kuniy Akas

Copies to:

Grey.

There is xpublix to be a Foreign Affairs debate

in Parliament on 12 December. This will give

Ministers an opportunity to refer to the plight

of Grey and other British subjects detained in

China.

2. If our chargé d'Affaires has not succeeded

in making representations to the Chinese about

Grey in the meantime it is the intention to have

Shen P'ing call here on 10 December.

3. We shall in any case be reviewing the next

steps with the Governor on 13 December prior to his

return. It would be helpful if you could let us

have by 1000 hours BST on 10 December any recent

Year information which you may have gleaned through the- informal

severe channel or from other sources,which might

cast light on the intentions of the Chinese with

regard to Grey.

Jose SECRET

11. T

Miss Hughes

COVERING CONFIDENTIAL

Enterapa

2010/12

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31

6DEC 1968

FEC138/1.

Mr. Anthony Grey

As requested, I attach a Note on the present position

of the case of Mr. Anthony Grey for possible use by

Mr. Mulley in Cabinet tomorrow.

вить грамму.

(James Murray)

4 December, 1968.

Copies to: Private Secretary

Mr. Moreton

Mrs. James Mysay

The entict

لابتهال

them.

+

mily briefly

alunded to

morning.

COVERING CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

NOTE

LIR. ANTHONY GREY

The Present Position

Mr. Cradock, our Chargé d'Affaires in Peking, has not

yet succeeded in obtaining an interview with the Chinese to

make representations about the conditions of detention of

Mr. Grey

and to ask about his release.

2. We had from the outset accepted that, even if the Chinese

had decided to release Mr. Grey in return for our release of

Heueh P'ing on 16 November, they might well delay up to a

month; and we had thought it politic to play things quietly

in the meantime. However the visit to Mr. Grey has

It would still seem

inevitably aroused public interest.

desirable to play things quietly for a little longer in the

hope admittedly slight that the Chinese will release

Mr. Grey in the near future. In view of public interest,

however, we can hardly delay the making of an official statement

beyond the middle of next week; and I propose to recommend

that the Secretary of State should make a statement on about

11 December.

3. Such a statement will be expected to include an account

of representations to the Chinese. If the Chinese continue

to refuse to see Mr. Cradock, it would be desirable to summon

their Chargé d'Affaires here before the statement is made.

/ I suggest

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

I suggest that this might be done on 9 or 10 December.

4. Much must depend on whether or not the Chinese, in Peking

or in London, formally name a definite price for the release

of Mr. Grey, e.g. the release of all 13 communist newspaper

workers at present in prison in Hong Kong. If they do, this

will pose problems for the drafting of the statement.

It

would in any case seem best not to refer publicly to any

Chinese price until we have decided the next policy steps.

(The Governor of Hong Kong is due in London for discussions on

12 and 13 December.).

5.

Meanwhile six more detainees have been released in Hong

Kong (leaving 23 still in detention).

This reflects the

increasing confidence of the Hong Kong authorities that an

increased rate of releases does not carry security risks.

We have, however, to be careful what we say in public about

this, since we do not want it to appear that we are ready to

use detainees as political pawns in a negotiation. But since

the Chinese themselves have emphasised to us that it is deeds

not words that matter, these releases ought to have some

value as a gesture on our part towards the settlement of

outstanding issues in Hong Kong.

Far Eastern Department,

4 December, 1968.

CONFIDENTIAL

Fecise/1.

FOREIGN AND

паст

paleo 5/12

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE,

5 December, 1968.

I enclose a monumental collection of press cuttings which will give you
some idea of the coverage given in the British press during the last two
weeks to Grey's case and that of other British subjects detained by the
Chinese. I fear that you will find a lot of inaccuracies in the
newspaper accomta, but in general it is favourable from our point of
view and reflects well on the hard work of News Department in keeping
the press on the right lines.

P. Cradock, Esq., C.M.G.,

PEKING.

(C. Wilson)

Far Eastern Department

RESTRICTED

C!

Cypher/Cat A

IMMEDIATE

Telao 1083

STRICTED

PEKING ΤΟ FOREIGN AND COMMONAEALTH OFFICE

5 December 1968

||2

Addressed to FCO telegram No. 1083 of 5 December. Repeated for
information to Hong Kong.

RECEIVED AN ARCHIVES N8.31.

- 6 DEC 1968

FEC134/1.

B.B.C's News last night carried report that Shen Ping, in answer to
representations by journalists in London, had said Grey would not be
released until the 13 news workmen in prison in Hong kong were released.

2.

Grateful for text of his statement by Immediate telegram,

FCO please pass to Hong Kong,

Mr. Cradock

+

!

I

[Repeated as requested]

ADVANCE COPIES SENT

DEP AKTHE NTAL DISTRIBUTION

F. East. D.

I.A.D.

I.F.D.

News Dept.

Hong Kong Dept.

Consular Dept.

I.K.D.

Research Dept.

EEEER

RESTRICTED

-

FECIBell.

RESTRICTED

pales 6/12

TOP COPY

ник за

CYDER/CAT A & BY BAG

HITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NUMBER 1315

RESTRICTED

TO RAWALPINDI

2 DECEMBER 1968. (FED)

ADDRESSED TO RAWALPINDI TELEGRAM NUMBER 1315 OF 2 DECEMBER AND TO

FECIS CERTAIN OTHER POSTS REPEATED FOR INFORMATION SAVING TO PEKING,

WASHINGTON AND HONG KONG.

PGDANCES NOS 295 AND 296. ANTHONY GREY.

38

34) H.M.CHARGE D'AFFAIRES IN PEKING HAS SUGGESTED THAT VARIOUS POSTS

SHOULD TELEGRAPH TO PEKING EN CLAIR AND BY COMMERCIAL CHANNELS EXCERPTS
FROM NEWS REPORTS AND EDITORIAL COMMENTS CONCERNING GREY WHICH MAY
APPEAR OR HAVE APPEARED IN LAST FEW DAYS IN LOCAL PRESS. THIS WOULD
ENSURE THAT DEGREE OF FOREIGN INTEREST IN GREY CASE IS BROUGHT TO
ATTENTION OF THE CHINESE. GRATEFUL IF THE RECIPIENTS OF THIS TELEGRAM
WOULD DO THIS IF POSSIBLE AND APPROPRIATE

STEWART

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

F.E.D.

H.K. D.

CONSULAR D.

NE78 D.

I.R.D.

RESEARCH D.

I.P.D.

GUIDANCE D.

RESTRICTED

L

Registry No.

DEPARTMENT

OF FE434/1.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION PRIORITY MARKINGS

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Reserlered

enclassified

Flash Immediate Priority

}

(Date)

• Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should

reach addressee(s)

espatead

2/12

---

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2/12

10002

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In Confidence

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RANDADINO!

No.

יח.

کھڑے

(Date) And to RASCEN PHWEAR LAAS

1315

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Addressed to

------------➖➖J· LI

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telegram No.1313

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CARBAN OTHER POSTS.

repeated for information to

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PATING, WASHINGTON AND Hong Kara

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Distribution:-

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H.M. chargé d'Affairs in Peking has suggested that vanom post

sumed telegraph to Peking en chaiw

COMMERCIA

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COMMENTS

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GREY

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With the compliments of

CONSULAR DEPARTMENT

As requested.

FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

CLIVE HOUSE, PETTY FRANCE,

LONDON, S.W,1.

5 December 1968

CONFIDENTIAL

-

+

ت

Cypusta/ENT A AND BY BAG

U

CONFIDENCIAL

PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM GUMBER GUIDANCE 295

TO CONTAI

28 1.

Gi

RECEIVED AN ARCHIWES No.3

-6DEC 1968

CONFIDENTIAL.

Бил

FEC13C/1.

40.$/12.

י

L

ļ

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r

CHINESE DETENTION OF ANTHONY GREY AND OTHERS,

Pu

WE WISH TO OBTAIN MAXIMUM PUSLICITY IN THE FOREIGN PRESS FOR THE NEXT
TWO WEEKS FOR GREY'S CASE AND THE GASES OF OTHER BRITISH SUBJECTS
DETAINED BY THE CHINESE, WE ARE PARTICULARLY KECH TOC CO SO IN COUNTRIES
WHERE THE CHINESE HAVE CONSIDERABLE INFLUENCE, AND ¡SBELS WHEREVER THEY
HAVE A MISSION, THE POSTS HOST OBVIOUILLY CONCERNED ARE THOSE RECEIVING
THIS GUIDANCE AND GUIDANCE 24 TELEGRAPHICALLY. THE BULK OF THE REPORT BY
H.M. CHANGE D'AFFAIRES IN PEKING ON HIS VISIT TO GREY ON 26 NOVEMBER HAS
BEEN CARNIED

·

THE L.P.S. FURTHER STORIES WILL FOLLOW IN THIS SERVICE, AND A FOLLOW-UP
C.0.1. FEATURE ARTICLE 13 ALSO PLANNED.

2. THE POINTS WHICH WE ARE PARTICULARLY KECH TO GET ACROSS ARE AS
FOLLOWS:

(1) THE JOURNALISTS AND NEWSPAPER WORKERS DETAINED IN HORG gen WERE ALL
TRIED FOR SPECIFIC CRIMES AND SENTENCED TO DEFINE PERIODS OF
BURISONMENT, THEIR SENTENCES ARE SUBJECT TO REMISSIGA FOR COOD
BEHAVIOUR. GREY, BY CONTRAST, HAS 107 SCCL ACCUSED OF ANY CRIME AND HAS
NO IDEA WHEN HE MAY BE RELEASED

:

+

(11) SILCE GREY WAS ORIGINALLY DETAL-ED IN REPRISAL FOR 9 JOURNALISTS,
ALL NOW RELEASED, THE WINESE SHOULD BY THEIR 04, RECKONING RELEASE HIM,
FILIR FAILURE TO DO SO SUGGESTS THAT Y MAY HAVE SHIFTED THEIR GROUND.

(11) THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE CONVICTED PRISONERS ARE DETAINED IN
HONG KONG ARE INTTITELY SETTER THAN THOSE OF GREY IN PEKING, THE
PRISONERS "KCEIVE REGULAR MONTHLY VISITS FROM

RELATIVES AND FRIENDS, THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE PRISON LIPKARY AS
REQUIRED: GREY IS DENIED ACCESS HIS OWN ROCKS, GREY IS !!

S SOLITARY CONFINEMENT: COST OF THE PHILONERS ARE IN SPIELE CALLS HUT
ALL HAVE DAILY EXERCISE IN GROWS AND THOSE WHO AL PRIMARIA TO WORK ARE
19 CONSTANT TOUCH WITH FELLO-ISONERJ, THE PRINTER DAY HAVE ACCESS DI ANY
TIME TO PRISM OFFICIALS: GREY HAS HAD

10 CONTACT WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS 51-25 HE WAS DETA IRSD. (IV) GREY HAS
BEEN SUFFERING FROM CUEST PAINS BUT, THOUGH HE "AS LEEN BY A DOCTOR, HE
WAS REFUSED AR XRAY.

FeReal

3D

L

!,

+

}

CONFIDENTIAL

2

A

38

(V) TRE MAIL FROM HIS MOTHER AND GIRL FRIEND WHICH GREY IS USUALLY
ALLOWED TO RECEIVE, HAS BEEN DELIBERATELY DELAYED,

APART FROM GREY THERE ARE 12 OTHER DRITISH SUBJECTS DETAIN' OR BELIEVED
TO BE DETAINED IN CHINA, IN NO OTHER CASE HAVE THE CHINESE ALLOWED
CONSULAR ACCESS NOR HAVE THEY PROVIDED DETAILS OF THE CHARGES, IF ANY,
AGAINST THOSE DETAINED, DESPITE REPEATED REPRESENTATIONS IN LONDON AND
PEKING, IN SOME CASES THEY HAVE EVER FAILED TO CONFIRM THE FACT OF THEIR
DETENTION, (VII) IT IS NOT ONLY BRITISH SUBJECTS WHO ARE DETAINED. THERE
ARE ALSO, TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, 13 JAPANESE, 5 AMERICANS, ABOUT 8 WEST
GERIANS 1 SELGIUM AND 1 ITALIAN, APART FROM ↳ OF THE AMERICANS WHO WERE
SENTENCED TO LONC TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT IN THE SO'S, THEIR CASES ARE
SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE DETAINED BRITONS, SO FAR AS IS KNOWN THE
GOVERNMENTS CONCERNED WAYE BEEN EQUALLY UNSUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING A
SATISFACTORY REPLY FROM THE CHINESE.

3. MY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING GUIDANCE TELEGRAN GIVES FURTHER

. BACKGROUND ON THE CASE OF GREY AND THE OTHER BRITISH SUBJECTS IN

QUESTION, AND MAY BE DRAWN UPON FREELY.

STEWART

+

+

BY TELEGRAPH

BONN BRUSSELS COPENHAGEN

THE HAGUE

OSLO

PARIS

ROME

WASHINGTON BAGHDAD

L

BEIRUT

ALGIERS CAIRO

KINSHASA

MOGADISHU

BELGRADE BERNE

HELSINK! STOCKHOLM VIENNA

NEW YORK (BIS)

PCOVANI DISTRIBUTION GUIDANCE DEPT.·

KHARTOUM

KATHMANDU

PHO. PÊNH RANGOON

ALL PRIORITY/

CONFIDENT | AL

TOKYO VIENTIANE

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