CONFIDENTIAL
1
PEKING
telegram No......
952
•
(date)
IMTOM IITI
And to
.........MIJ.PIPILIPI
Immediala)
بلعـ
repeated for information to
HONG KONG
ILLILLIII LIK‒‒‒‒‒LIJJ L'ILI
------
27 November
LILILOILO
1777
1. I-ITE SIT
(N) Rawalpindi (for Maitland, Secretary of State's
itlane
Rawalpindi (for Secretary of State's Party)
Saving to:-
Distribution:
Departmental
FED
Hong Kong Dept.
Consular Dept.
I.R.D.
Research Dept.
Goblet
I.P.D. Flag
News Dept.
EXAS AT
Flag C
SIGNUTRE
W1746727
забра
B
Saving to
:
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[or
Your telegram No. 1060 or 27 November] Grey.
Party)
In view of the report of your visit to Grey we agree that
you should seek an interview with the Kinistry of Foreign
Affairs as soon as possible to protest at the conditions of his
We think you should
confinement and to request improvemente.
take opportunity to remind the Chinese of their statement of
July 1967 and to demand Grey's release.
2. In addition to referring to delays in his mail, the
unsatisfactory living conditions of his house and the lack of
reading material we agree that you should ask for a thorough
medical examination of Gray.
3.
ire
For the purpose of your interview Z presume that the
comparative material on the treatment of Chinese neweworkers in
Hong Kong which was telegraphed to you following the visit to Grey in
April (Hong Kong telegrams Nos. 536 of 27 April and
540 of 30 April to Foreign Office refer) is still valid.
/doubt
Ho
X
Xx
.
doubt Hong Kong will be able to add any further points
arising from the report of your latest visit which show
our practices in a favourable light.
4.
We were intending to summon Shen P'ing to see Lord
Shepherd early next week in the light of the Chinese
response to your approach. He think tactically that it
would be more effective to separate the two sets of
representations in this way. The report of your visit to
Grey is featured prominently in all major British news-
papers to-day (see MIFT for press summary) and as a result
Parliamentary pressure is likely to build up over the next
two weeks.
5.
After this double approach with its attendant publicity
we think we should aim at a period of relative calm in the
hopes that this may make it easier for Chinese to release
Grey without appearing to do so under pressure.
6.
Grateful if you would telegraph report on your interview
with the MFA for release to the press here.
(16382), Dd.392003′′154os (72 gort) 1/68;G.W,B,Lsé. GRIN
Youn
22/xi
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
REGISTRY
No.
(1) TELEGRAM SECTION,
FEC134/1.
REPETITION OF TELEGRAMS
FOREIGN OFFICE.
FER W. 64
27.11.68 28/11
(Date).
(Despatched)
C
Please repeat to the posts shown below telegram No.
from/tolking.
For Maitland Sec
бес
Slates Parking
Radpindi
En clai. Gode
Cypher
+
Folvo
No.
T
dated..
No. 1295
No..
No.
No.
No.
(Signed)
(Dept.)
(Date)
...
1060
27. Novater (Date) 27/11
celson
F.ED.
+
27.11.68
...M.
(2) DIVISION CONCERNED (FOR ARCHIVES).
+
Cypher/Cat A
1
CONFIDENTIAL •
20%
пр Op Choy
IK!EDIATE PEKING TO FOREIGN AND COMKONWEALTH OFFICE
Telno 1060
27 November, 1968
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No 34
28NOV 19.8
FEC134/1
CONFIDENTIAL
Addressed to FCO telegram No.1060 of 27 November Repeated for
information to Hong Kong.
My telegram No.1055:
Grey.
This was a difficult interview since Grey was agitated and resentful. He
was at first unwilling to listen to messages from home and repeatedly
asked how long his detention would go on. On being told of Êsuch's
release he asked her many journalists remain in prison in Hong Kong and
when they are due for release. I did what I could (allowing for presence
of Chinese security officials) to cheer him up and explained that we
were all doing our best for. him. I think this did sone good but I
cannot pretend that I left him convinced,
2.
Although Grey retained control of himself during
the interview, both Garside and I had the impression that if his
confinement is much prolonged he may have a break-down. In his present
state it would also be easier for the Chinese to try to win him over by
exploiting his resentment and sense of being abandoned though I must add
that we have no (repeat no) evidence that this has so far been tried.
3. Despite the general improvement in Sino/British relations his
conditions have not only not improved since April but sem to have
deteriorated in two respects (books and window).
This continuing hard line does not mean he could not be released
suddenly, but in general supports view that Chinese for some unspecified
time will use him to exert maximum pressure on us for concessions over
prisesers in Hong Kong.
4. You will no doubt instruct me on representations on his case (ny
tel-gram No.1042 paragraph 4). I suggest they are made both here and at
high level in London; also that having warned Mrs. Grey and Reuters
beforehand, concern should be expressed over his health and this point
included in publicity. Representations should cover better conditions
for him, in particular full medical attention and books.
FCO pass routine Hong Kong.
Mr. Cradock
[Repeated as requested]
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F.East Dept.
H.K.D.
Cons Dept.
News Dept.
I.R.D.
Rea Dept. I.P.D.
88888
+
CONFIDENTIAL
帜
(19)
FEGBC/1.
водачи
COM
CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
IMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NO. 1605
CONFIDENTIAL
FOR MURRAY FROM MORETON.
YOUR TELEGRAM FROM SEGUL NO. 313
TO HONG KONG
26 NOVEMBER 1919 (FED)
THERE ARE NO FRESH POINTS WE NEED ASK YOU TO DISCUSS IN HONG KONG.
STEWART
FILES:
FAR EASTERN DEPT.
HONG KONG DEPT.
+
CONFIDENT IAL
+
근
ทัน
川
Registry No.
Top
Secret
Confidential
icted
Draft.
Telegram fo:-
Mong
No.if 1605
EMERGENCY
IMMEDIATE
PRIORITY
ROUTINE
-priority
1
-DEFER ED
1
*Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should
reach addresser(s).
Security classification
if any
[Codeword-if any)].......
Address to
(Date). 26/11 telegram No.
And to:-
Repeat to:-
·
(Date)
Despatched
+++
2
E
Confidential
Hoy hoay
repeated for information. t................
(date)
--------------‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒--------
Lang Ang MHHHH
え
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
En Clair Colle
Gair.
Cypher
Distribution:-
For MURRAY for MORETON.
FROM
Your Telegram from seral No: 313
no fresh
There
ро
požuto wre
need
ash
Files
← discuss
ча
in Hong Kong.
FED
MK BLAA.
Copies to:-
(4535) Wx.45573/46 200m 2/64 G.W.B.Ltd. Op.#43.
سلحه
...
26/20
48
EN CLAIR
водо
IKMEDIATE PEKING TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH' OFFICE
TELNO 1057
UNCLASSIFIED
26 NOVEMBER, 1968
ALTOLD TO FCC TELNO 1957 OF 26 NOVEMBER REPEATED FOR
INFORMATION TO HONG KONG.
YOUR TELEGRAM 950. PARA 3. GREY.
FOLLOWING IS TEXT.
BEGINS.
گازم
RECEIVED 'N ARCHIVES No 31
27 NOV 1968
FEC135/1
GARSIDE AND I SAW GREY FCR 25 MINUTES AT HIS HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME REMDERS OF THIS OFFICE HAVE SEEN HI
SINCE APRIL AND THE SECOND SINCE HIS DETENTIOR IN JULY 1967.
Za HE APPEARED IN REASONABLE FITYSICAL SHAPE SO FAR AS ME COULD
JUDGE, HE DID NOT LOCK TATH DUT HE WAS PALE AND SUFFERING FRC!!
A HEAD COLD. HE SAID HE HAD HAD CHEST PAIRS FOR THE PAST 3 G3 4
MONTHS. HE HAD ASKED FOR A DOCTOR ON NOVENDER 19. THE DOCTOR
EÁMINED HIM WITH A STETHOSCOPE,, GAVE HIM SOME MEDICINE AND
SAID PERHAPS HE HAD PROMOLITIS, GREY ASKED FOR AN XĦAY EUT
mas TULD IT WAS UNNECESSARY. HE CONTINUES TO HAVE E SPELLS OF
EXE..CISE IN Thë COURTYARD EACH NO LIMUTES LUNG EVERY DAY.
-
3. AS REGARDS MENTAL CONDITION, HE WAS OBVIOUSLY ZOTI AGITATED
AT SEEING US AID AS LIGHT LE EXPECTED UNDER CONSIDERADLE CENERAL
KENYOLS STRAL" AS A RESULT OF 11S LUNG SULITARY CONFINEMENT,
HE SAID THAT AT FIRST AFTER THE MED QUARD ENTRY TO HIS HOUSE
+
IST 1967 ME NAJ BEE, COMFILED TO A ROUIS FEET OQUARE IN
LE
klo neové FROM MOVE DER 2 1967 HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO A Roci!
HAUT 12 FEET OQLARE AND 13 THERE STILL SOME OF ITS IMEONS
"ERE QUANDED UP IN MAY 1950 MLM Cubed but de vFENED, AND HE
+
PROPER FAL Tule Soil E..
T
¡T KAN MEEN VERY LOT. THE DOOR
"ZER KOT,'
1.
1
/OF HIS
་
1
÷
-2-
OF 113 ROOM WAS OPEN ALL DAY EXCEPT "HEN HE WAS ASLEEP CR DURING CALS.
RESG.TLY JECAUSE IT WAS COLD HE HAD ASKED FOR THE DOCA, TỤ
BE CLOSED BUT HAS HAD NO REPLY.
5. LE RETAINED THE USE OF HIS STAFF AND HAD NO REAL COMPLAINT CR
CLOTHES OR DIET.
6. HE WAS DESPERATELY SHORT OF READING HATTER. IT SEEMS THAT EARLIER
7613 YEAR KE HAD BEEN ABLE TO GO UPSTAIRS FROM TIME TC TIE TO FETCH HIS
BOOKS BUT SINCE AUGUST HE HAD BEEN TOLD HE MUST ASK FOR THE SOCKS AND
LIST THE TITLES HE WANTED. SINCE HE DID NOT RENTEDER THE TITLES HE HAD
HAD NO NEW BOCKS, HE IS ALLOWED THE PEOPLE'S DAILY (HE CA! READ ONLY CHE
OR THE CHARACTERS)
MID THE PEKING REVIE1⁄4,
+
7. HE WAS ALLOWED TO WRITE A LETTER TO HIS MOTHER AND TO HIS GIRL FRIEND
EACH MONTH. THESE LETTERS WERE KEPT BY NEWS DEPARTMENT FOR A MONTH
BEFORE ZEING POSTED. THERE WAS ALSO DELAY ON 1 COMING MAIL. HE HAD NOT
HEARD FROM HIS HOTHER SINCE
ÚCTOBER 14.
GENERALLY THE CHINESE ATTITUDE WAS SUCH AS TO DISCOURAGE HI FROM MAKING
REQUESTS. THERE IS ALSO A LARCUAGE DIFFICULTY. HE HAD HAD NO CONTACT
WITH ANY CHINESE OFFICIAL. HE LIVED IN A VOID.
9. THREE CHINESE SECURITY OFFICIALS (TUG TAKING NOTES) WERE
PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE INTER VI 2V.
ENDS
MR.CRADOCK
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F. EAST DEPT.
H.X.D.
CONS DEPT.
NEWS DEPT.
I.R.D. RES DEPT. I.P.D.
+
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
+
-
144ACON
"CONFIDENTIAL
Cypher/Cat A
INMEDIATE PEKING TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICEAP
k..
1988
Telno 1055
CONFIDENTIAL
26 November 1968
FE2134/1.
Addressed to FCO telegram No. 1055 of 26 November. Repeated for
information to Hong kong,
Oarside and I saw Grey for 25 minutes at his house this
afternoon,
2.
After greetings I read out the message from his Hother and Reuters and
gave him a very short background account of some of the events since
April affecting him.
3. He appeared in reasonably good physical shape so far as we could
judge. He did not look thin but he was pale and suffering from a head
cold. He said he had had chest pains for the past three or four months.
Fearing that this was tuberculosis he had asked for a doctor on 13
November. The doctor examined him
with a stethoscope, gave him some medicine and said perhaps he had
bronchitis and not T.B. Grey asked for an ex-ray but was told it was
unnecessary. He will ask to see doctor again, He continues to have 2
spells of exercise in the courtyard each 40 mimtes long every day.
4.
As regards mental condition he was obviously both agitated at seeing us
and under considerable general nervous strain as a result of his
confinement. He said most of the day I sit clenching my hands and trying
to keep sane". He was resentful about what he called failure of Her
Majesty's Government and Reuters to do anything for him and asked
several times how much longer his detention would last. He had hoped we
might have come about his release but hearing it was merely Consular
access had made him bitter and depressed.
5.
He said in April he had deliberately under-stated things. At first after
Red Guard entry to his house he had been confined to a room eight feet
square, From 3 November 1967 he was transferred
to a room about twelve feet square. Some of its windowa were painted
over in May 1968 and could not be opened, and he had no proper fan this
summer. It had been very hot. The door of his room was open all day
except when he was asleep or during meals. Recently because it was cold
he had asked for the door to be closed but had had no reply.
6.
He retained thuas of his staff and had no real complaint on clothes or
diet.
} *
He was desperately short of reading matter. Earlier this year he had
been able to go upstairs from time to time to fetch his books but since
August he had been told he must ask for books and titles he wanted,
Since he did not remember the titles he had had no new books, He is
allowed People's Daily (he can read only one or two characters) and the
Peking Review.
8. He was allowed to write letters to his Mother and Miss McGuinn each
month. These letters were kept by the News Department for a month before
being posted, There was also delay on incoming mail. He had not heard
from his Mother since 14 October.
9.
Generally the Chinese attitude was very unhelpful and such as to
discourage him from making requests. There was also a
/language
CONFIDENTIAL
1
CONFIDENTIAL
-2-
language difficulty since all requests went through his cook who speaks
little English, In answer to my question he said he had not been accused
of any offence and the Chinese had not discussed the conditions of
release with him. He had had no contact with arly Chinese official. He
lived in a void.
10. He gave messages to be transmitted to his Mother asking her not to
worry and that he was as well as could be expected and also to Miss
McGuinn asking her not to worry. Her letters were the only thing that
had kept him sane.
PCO pass to Hong Kong
Mr. Cradock
[Repeated as requested]
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F. East D.
Hong Kong Dept.
Consular Dept.
News Dept.
I.R.D.
Research Dept. I.P.D.
EEEEE
+
CONFIDENTIAL
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
95
CYPHER/CAT A
TOP OOPY CONFIDENTIAL FEC1341.
IMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONLEALTH CFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 953
IDENTIAL.
ведеть
TO PEKING
46
25 NOVEMBER 1960 (FE)
ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NUMBER 95% OF 25 NOVEMBER REPEATED FOR
INFORMATION TO HONG KONG.
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 1851 OF 25 NOVEMBER: VISIT TO GREY.
WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO YOU BRIEFING CORRESPONDENTS IN PEKING FOLLOWING
YOUR VISIT TO GREY. WE SHALL CF COURSE WISH TO MAKE A STATEMENT HERE AS
SOON AS WE HAVE YOUR REPORT. IN THIS CONNEXION
IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE THE TEXT OF YOUR REMARKS TO THE PRESS.
£. WE DECIDED THAT PUBLICITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO YOUR INTERVIEW WITH MEWS
DEPARTMENT TO-DAY AND HAVE ISSUED A SHORT STATEMENT TO THE EFFECT THAT
YOU WERE INFORMED THAT YOU COULD VISIT GREY TOMORROW.
2. PEUTERS AND CREY'S MOTHER HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE IMPENDING VISIT,
REUTERS WERE SLIGHTLY PUT CUT THAT THEY COULD NOT BE ALLOWED EXCLUSIVE
COVERAGE OF THE VISIT BUT ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT WESTERN CORRESPONDENTS
IN PEKING SHOULD BE GIVEN A BREAK. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE REUTERS CHIEF
TOKYO CORRESPONDENT, LEE CASEY, WILL TRY TO TELEPHONE YOU SHORTLY AFTER
THE VISIT TO GREY, GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD FASS ON TO HIM THE TEXT OF YOUR
REMARKS TO LOCAL
CORRESPONDENTS.
4. AGREE THAT YOU CANNOT AVOID SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT GREY'S HEALTH ON
THE OTHER HAND IF IT APPEARS THAT CONFINEMENT HAS AFFECTED HIS HEALTH WE
WOULD PREFER TO TELL RCUTERS AND HIS MOTHER FIRST BEFORE RELEASING IT TO
THE PRESS.
5. IN GENERALI AGREE WITH THE PUBLICITY LINE SUGGESTED IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF
YOUR TELEGRAM HUDER REFERENCE AND PARAGRAPH 5 OF YOUR TELEGRAM ULUBER
1642 OF 22 NOVEMBER, THIS IS THE LINE WHICH WE HAVE TAKEN LOCALLY WITH
SOME EFFECT. SEE TIMES EDITORIAL OF 21 NOVEMBER ENCLOSED WITH WILSON'S
LETTER TO CRADOCK CF SAFE DATE. STEWART
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F. EAST DEPT.
H.K.D.
CONS DEPT.
NEWS DEPT.
I.R.D.
RES DEPT.
I.P.D.
CONFIDENTIAL
xx
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry No.
DEPARTMENT
FEC134/1.XX
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
PRIORITY MARKINGS (Date)
Top Stret
C#/ 25/11
Hah
Immediara
Confidential Restrict
Poutine
Llachssified
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
Despatched
[Security_ classification
-if any
Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should
reach addressed(s):- ---
CY HER
CONFIDENTI AL
[Codeword-if any]
En Clatr.
[
Privacy marking -if any
1
Colle
Cypher
Draft Telegram for
PEKING
No.
950
And to
چر ھے
Addressed to...
telegram No. 950
(Date) 25!! repeated for information to
And to:-
PEKING
(date)