Mr Michael Stewart, Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, pushed
a red box of du Maurier cigarettes towards me across the white blotter
on his desk and said how glad he was that at last I was sitting there
beside him. It was the late afternoon of November 6th, 1969 and I had
been home from Peking just over three weeks. The meeting took place in
Mr Stewart's office in Whitehall at his invitation. Mr Stewart was the
man who all along had the power to order the release of imprisoned Com-
munist newsmen in Hong Kong and so free me from my solitary confinement.
Some British newspapers had campaigned editorially for this, criticising
Mr Stewart for not ordering the release of the Chinese carlier. Many of
my fellow journalists too had expressed strong feelings, both privately
and publicly, about this failure to act sooner. As I have already shown,
my own feelings as I sat alone in Peking month after month were often
bitterly resentful.
I had waited in the corridor outside briefly while an usher had checked
whether the Minister was ready to see me. A private secretary who had
come from an adjoining office said to me confidentially as we waited,
'He's had a hard day, you know'. I suppressed a smile in the dim
corridor wondering whether the secretary was half-expecting me to go in
waving my arms and remonstrating wildly with his tiring chief.
I was announced and shown into a very large room lit by a number of
table lamps. The high walls of the room held long narrow mirrors and
possibly some paintings but it was not easy to see in the gloom beyond
the glow from the lamps. Mr Stewart stood waiting for me behind his
desk, a shortish man in a grey suit and waistcoat with grey hair and
slightly pouched cheeks. He offered his hand, I said 'How do you do' and
after the formal handshake, I sat down in the chair offered, close
against the side
324
J
1
GETTING AN EXPLANATION 325
of the rather small desk. Mr Stewart spoke with a slight north- country
accent and chose his words when speaking formally with great ration,
clearly considering carefully what he was com- mitting self to before
uttering them. Mr Stewart offered me a cigarette from his red box of
filter-tipped du Maurier and after I declined, lit one himself.
I waited politely for the Minister to begin, curious to know how he
would approach the topic. He said how glad he was to see me there at
last, then launched immediately into saying how he had felt unable to
release the Hong Kong news workers before he did. It had been 'a
diflicult decision', he said.
He had had to balance the facts and had thought of me sitting there in
Peking alone for a long time. But there had been riots in Hong Kong and
they felt that to release the convicted news workers would have
jeopardised the security of the colony.
'I don't expect you to agree with the decision I made but I wanted to
explain it to you,' said Mr Stewart.
He then discussed the question of retaliatory measures that could have
been taken against Chinese in London, but said it had been felt that
this would have been playing their game and that ultimately the Chinese
would always go one better- or worse - and so this kind of action had
been eschewed.
Mr Stewart then added that carly in the year an offer had been made to
send the imprisoned news workers back to China, deport them from Hong
Kong, but Peking had refused this,
I listened with great interest to Mr Stewart's explanation and told him
that as he had expected, as the innocent prisoner who had suffered the
solitary confinement, I did not agree with it. Had there been no
possibility of releasing the news workers, say nine months earlier at
the beginning of 1969? Mr Stewart repeated that this was not thought
possible for reasons of Hong Kong's security.
I asked if the British Government had believed that the thirteen news
workers were themselves likely to instigate fresh rioting and were they
believed to be dangerous subversive elements in them- selves?
They were all 'skilful propagandists' he replied, and it was felt they
would possibly have caused new riots if released.
I asked what had led to the release of Wong Chak two years early and the
Minister said it was thought at that time it could be
[
326 HOSTAGE IN PEKING
done 'without risk to the situation'. I said that the British Govern-
nient had not publicly admitted that Wong's release was connected
me and the Minister replied Ah well, that was a bit of
I said that while sitting in ignorance in Peking I had wondered whether
Britain's broad policy of trying to draw China into the world community
of nations had in any way been responsible for Whitehall's reluctance to
submit to this kind of blackmail since it would not have encouraged
China to behave with a sense of responsibility. To this Mr Stewart said
no, he would not have hesitated for these reasons. The decision made was
purely be cause of Hong Kong. He said this was Britain's long term view
towards China and he thought perhaps 'internal pressures in China might
eventually influence the leadership as they have done already in the
Soviet Union'.
I told Mr Stewart that I was very glad to have had the opportunity to
come to see him and to ask him questions and he replied that he hoped he
had answered them all. But I stil! wondered how the press treatment of
my case had been received in Whitehall.
'I've learned since getting home,' I said, 'of the considerable amount
of - sometimes emotional - reporting of my confinement and its effect on
myself, family and friends. Did this in any way affect your final
decision?'
Mr Stewart thought for a moment before replying cryptically: *I am
responsive to argument.'
I persisted. Had the publicity accorded to my plight in any way
influenced the Government's thinking, had it had any effect?
The reply was perhaps a classic politician's evasion. 'Had we ever
forgotten it,' he said after a pause, 'the publicity would have reminded
us."
Mr Stewart then asked how I was physically and I told him I was well and
briefly described some of the difficulties and strains of my home-coming
and the difficulty I still found in meeting with people. He enquired
after my mother's health and I said she was resting after the nervous
excitement of it all. He asked too how I was spending my leisure and I
explained how above all I loved walking in the park in the autumn
sunshine.
Quite suddenly Mr Stewart leaned forward and in almost
!
H
can di
GETTING AN EXPLANATION 327
avuncular tone said, 'You know, I must say I admire the way you this all
so calmly.' Then he asked in which park 1 Iks, where was I staying?
took my
I said I was staying in Camberwell and walked in Ruskin Park. Oh well,
he too was a 'South Londoner' living in Lewisham and the conversation
continued on these lines for a while. Mr Stewart had another cigarette
and again offered me onc.
I returned to the Minister's starting point that it could hardly be
expected that I would agree with the decision not to try to bring about
my release earlier but added that there now seemed no point to me in
coming along uttering recriminations. I was free now and very happy
indeed to be so.
'But,' I added, 'sitting alone in that room in Peking I very often felt
very resentful towards yourself and Harold Wilson and in fact everybody
who seemed to be doing nothing."
"I bet you did,' said Mr Stewart quickly, in a manner that sug- gested
he couldn't have agreed more. It was as if the Foreign and Commonwealth
Secretary was at last relieved that I had said what he might well have
been expecting in a less friendly fashion,
We seemed to have exhausted the topic and I rose to go. Mr Stewart shook
hands again and accompanied me across the room to the door and opened it
for me to depart. The conversation had lasted some forty minutes.
Outside in Whitehall it was raining and it took me a long time to get a
taxi. Once back where I was staying I jotted down what we had said.
After arriving at the Downing Street entrance to the Foreign Office I
had been taken up to the office of Mr James Murray, head of the Far
Eastern Department. There I was shown three piles of folders on a
table-files containing every paper connected with my twenty-six months'
confinement. About 1,000 sheets of paper a year had gone into them I was
told. I noticed that, per- haps appropriately enough for a government
department, the files were bound together with red tapes. The mood of
the meet- ing was friendly and relaxed. The files were referred to
light- heartedly as 'The Grey Papers' and it was pointed out that it
would be thirty years before they were made public in the govern- ment's
open archives. At this point I renewed acquaintance with
:
+
H
328 HOSTAGE IN PEKING
many of the diplomats I had last seen in Peking in the summer of 17.
Then I was shown to Mr Stewart's office.
The British Sunday newspaper The People was a leading cam- paigner for
my release, repeatedly urging the Government to release the Chinese
prisoners in Hong Kong to secure my freedom. Their campaign caused a
flood of letters to be sent to the Foreign Office from people in Britain
and in reply a printed letter was sent out in May 1969 explaining the
reasons why nothing like that was being done. One of those many people
who tried to help sent me a copy of the Foreign Office letter which sets
out succinctly the official attitude- and perhaps the dilemma of those
faced with the attempted blackmail of hostage-taking. The letter said
that there had been no clear guarantee that I would be released if the
eleven then-imprisoned news workers were let out and went on to add:
'Even if such a guarantee had been given I am sure that you will
appreciate that there are also serious objections to arranging an
exchange of this kind. Her Majesty's Government also have
responsibilities and a duty to the people of Hong Kong and other British
subjects throughout the world and it is for this reason, and not for any
fear of "losing face" or allowing the Chinese to claim a "victory" that
we have resisted Chinese pressure for the release of these prisoners.
The well- being of Hong Kong and the welfare of its people are dependent
on continued confidence that the British Government will main- tain law
and order there so that people can go about their legiti- mate business
unmolested and without fear. If it appeared that by holding British
subjects as hostages the Chinese could influence British actions and
policy in Hong Kong, this confidence could well be undermined.
Furthermore, the release of convicted prisoners to secure the release of
an innocent British subject could imperil the position of British
subjects visiting China. The Chinese authorities might be encouraged to
believe that whenever they wanted to bring pressure to bear on the
British Government all they need do would be to detain an innocent
British subject. As you can see, the problem raises issues beyond our
immediate concern for Mr Grey which involve the welfare of Hong Kong and
safety of other Britons abroad. This does not mean, however, that we
shall cease to do all we can for Mr Grey.'
GETTING AN EXPLANATION 329
The end of the strange affair came on Tuesday, November 11th
when Queen
investiture at Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty the
to me: 'I am very glad to see you here today. This is just a small token
for what you have been through."
I replied: 'It is wonderful to be back home. I am very happy to be
here.'
F
R.
RE
REACY
RECEIVED
TEC 13/5
Cutting dared
DAILY MAIL
4 SEP 1970........
I could
have been
freed i
sooner
says Grey
From Daily Mall Correspondent In Hongkong
A FORMER prisoner of Com- munist China now living in Hongkong says he is
surprised fellow prisoner Anthony Gray's bitterness against the British
Foreign Office over his two years' imprisonment.
Norman Barrymaine, the British journalist held la Shang- hai for two
years, says: "Did be expect the British Goverment to send a gunboat or
go zo war with China about him 7o
Criticism of The Foreign Office for dragging their feet OTCE moves 10
get Reuter correspondent Gry" freed causing embarrassment Whitehall,
In his book Forme in Peking, to be published on Monday by Micharl
Joseph, Me Grep maintins that his release list October could have come
much earlier.
But the Foreign Office argun that Mr Grey's position had to be assessed
in the light of many factors, such as secunty in Hongkong where rioting
led to the arrest of Chinese news- papermen.
19
Enter
ора
Mr. Wilford
ford
RESTRICTED
My Apply and 0.7
MAY
+
Anthony Grey's Book:
"Hostage in Peking"
pla
We spoke this morning about guidance for News Department
and for Peking. I submit a draft telegram.
2. Mr. Weston agrees to the formula in paragraph 6.
He
has tried to clear it with Mr. Grey but he is unobtainable.
Mr. Weston is, however, confident that this would be the
form of words Mr. Grey would prefer.
SALMorgan
(J. A. L. Morgan)
4 September, 1970.
Agreed
4
Mr./
Me Weston subsequeath, cleaned with the Gray.
SM
79
RESTRICTED
3 September, 1970
M
33
As Michael Wilford tuld you last night Anthony Gray has included in his
book "A Hostage in Peking" which is to come out next week a chapter
giving an account of his interview with you on 6 November last year. I
enclose a photostat copy.
Our present plan is fʊr News Department, if asked, to consent
unattributably on the following linens
"The Chinese made it clear that the price for Kr. Grey's freedom was the
premature release of all the imprisoned newsworkers in Hong Kong. To
have agreed to this would have had damaging consequences for our
position in the Colon; which rests on the confidence of the lo, al
population in our
loal intention and ability to maintain law and order. important element
in their confidence is the belief that we will adhere by the laws ve
have ourselves made and not band them for political convenience. We
should have been stra great disadvantage in trying to resist pressures
for the release of further convicted prisoners in connexioa with the
other British subjects detained in China."
If you have any macadamente or mggestions to nɛke we shall be very glad
to consider thes,
The Rt. Hon. Michael Stewart, C.ll.,M.P.
158 Walton Street,
S.V.3.
(J. A. X. Grahan)
i
RESTRICTED
CYPHER CAT/A AND BY BAG
***EDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 297
TO PEKING
4 SEPTEMBER 1970
(JE) FEC 13/1
(32)
RESTRICTED.
та
ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NUMBER 297 DATED 4 SEPTEMBER
REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG AND SAVING TO WASHINGTON.
ANTHONY GREY'S BOOK ''HOSTAGE IN PEKING'' IS TO BE PUBLISHED ON
7 SEPTEMBER,
2. THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN SOME PRESS ATTENTION TO HIS CRITICAL
ACCOUNT OF HIS INTERVIEW WITH THE THEN SECRETARY OF STATE ON 6
OVEMBER LAST YEAR. THE FOLLOWING COMMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN CLEARED
WITH MR. STEWART, IS BEING MADE UNATTRIBUTABLY BY NEWS
DEPARTMENT.
FREEDOM
"' THE CHINESE MADE ITCLEAR THAT THE PRICE FOR MR, GREY'S
WAS THE PREMATURE RELEASE OF ALL THE IMPRISONED NEWSWORKERS IN
HONG KONG. TO HAVE AGREED TO THIS WOULD HAVE HAD DAMAGING
CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR POSITION IN THE COLONY WHICH RESTS ON THE
CONFIDENCE OF THE LOCAL POPULATION IN OUR INTENTION AND ABILITY
TO MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER, AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THEIR
CONFIDENCE IS THE BELIEF THAT WE WILL ADHERE TO THE LAWS WE HAVE
OURSELVES MADE AND NOT BEND THEM FOR POLITICAL CONVENIENCE. IF WE
HAD DONE SO WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT A GREAT DISADVANTAGE IN TRYING TO
RESIST PRESSURES FOR THE RELEASE OF FURTHER CONVICTED PRISONERS
IN CONNEXION WITH THE OTHER BRITISH SUBJECTS DETAINED IN CHINA'
3. MR. STEWART HAS ALSO COMMENTED TO US THAT THE ACCOUNT GIVES THE
IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTIVITIES OF THE 13
CHINESE NEWSWORKERS IF THEY WERE RELEASED WHICH CONCERNED US. IT
WAS IN FACT OUR ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF THE PREMATURE RELEASE
OF THE 13 ON THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS. IF ASKED NEWS DEPARTMENT WILL
ALSO MAKE THIS POINT,
/4. THERE
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
-2-
4. THERE IS ALSO THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CHINESE WILL PROTEST
CERTAIN PASSAGES IN THE BOOK. SHOULD THEY DO SO IT IS OUR
INTENTION TO SAY THAT WE DEPLORE THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED BY GREY.
IF THE CHINESE MISSION WISH TO CORRECT WHAT THEY CONSIDER TO BE
INACCURACIES THEY ARE AT LIBERTY TO ISSUE A STATEMENT TO THE
PRESS OR TO MAKE THEIR POSITION CLEAR IN SOME OTHER WAY.
5. THE CHINESE MAY PROTEST AT THE EVIDENCE THE BOOK CONTAINS
OF INFORMATION WHICH COULD ONLY ORIGINATE FROM MEMBERS OF THE
BRITISH MISSION AT THE TIME. THIS RELATES IN PARTICULAR TO THE
CHAPTER ON THE SACKING OF THE MISSION AND TO THE TRIAL OF REUTERS'
CHAUFFEUR.
6. WE INTEND REPLYING THAT NATURALLY, AFTER HIS RELEASE, GREY SPOKE
WITH EYE WITNESSES OF THE SACKING AND HAD ACCESS TO ACCOUNTS
PUBLISHED AT THE TIME.
AS REGARDS THE CHAUFFEUR'S TRIAL GREY QUOTES A RED GUARD
NEWSPAPER MANY OF WHICH FOUND THEIR WAY OUTSIDE CHINA. THE
MANUSCRIPT WAS NOT, HOWEVER, SUBMITTED OFFICIALLY TO THE FCO.
NEWS DEPARTMENT WILL COMMENT SIMILARLY IF ASKED.
7. FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION, GREY DID IN FACT SHOW CERTAIN PASSAGES
LETTER FEC 13/3 OF 23 JANUARY TO
OF HIS BOOK TO MEMBERS OF THE FCO, BUT THIS WAS ON A STRICTLY
PRIVATE BASIS (SEE MURRAY'S YOU). AND THROUGHOUT ITS PREPARATION HE HAS
MADE CLEAR THAT HE HAD
NO INTENTION OF PERMITTING WHAT HE CALLED ''OFFICIAL CENSORSHIP''.
THE SOURCE FOR THE ACCOUNT OF WANG'S TRIAL IS THE ENCLOSURE TO
WESTON'S LETTER OF 24 OCTOBER 1967. REUTERS APPEAR, HOWEVER,
TO HAVE RECEIVED THEIR COPY OF THIS THROUGH AFP.
DOUGLAS-HOME
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F.E.D.
NEWS DEPT.
H.K.D.
RESTRICTED
Registry No.
DEPARTMENT
FED
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
PRIORITY MARKINGS (Date)
JAIM
Flash
Top Secret 4/9
Abertisi
Restricted
Unclamited
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
immads
Routing
Date and time (G.M T.) telegram should
reach address00(5)
HPAAIHmtotitolatok
Despatched
4/9/41821 =
Sk▬ıdub sang
CYPHER
[Security classification
-if any
ХХ
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
14/9 15402
49/0
"]
RESTRICTE
bo Clair.
[
Privacy marking -if any
]
Code
Cypher
Draft Telegram to:-
Teking
4.19
No.
(Date)
And to:-
297
[Codeword-if any)
DAMEN HERREN KA
PEKING
Addressed to
telegram No...
27.7 (date)
419
And to
Repeaty to:
Hàng trong
Saving to:-
Wask
Distribution:- Departmental
FED
NEWS DEPT.
Deft
Copies to:-
Mr. Wilford
repeated for information to
Saving to
HONG KONG
IT
LAFAYAH 4++++
WASHINGTON
+r.
IN -----¶--------‒‒‒‒‒
Anthony Grey's book "Hostage in Peking" is to be published on 7
September.
Sens
2. There has already been press attention to his
critical account of his interview with the then
Secretary of State on 6 November last year. The
following comment, which has been cleared with
Mr. Stewart, is being made unattributably by News
Department.
"The Chinese made it clear that the price for
Mr. Grey's freedom was the premature release of
all the imprisoned netsworkers in Hong Kong. To
have agreed to this would have had damaging conse-
quences for our position in the Colony which rests
on the confidence of the local population in our
intention and ability to maintain law and order.
An important element in their confidence is the
to belief that we will adhere
the laws we have
ourselves made and not bend them for political
RESTRICTED
/ convenience.
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
MOUL $1-2406
·
RESTRICTED
(It
vas kæð örme to
}
convenience. We should have been at a
great disadvantage in trying to resist
pressures for the release of further
convicted prisoners in connexion with the
other British subjects detained in China.
to wel
3. Mr. Stewart has also commented that the
account gives the impression that it was
possible future activities of the 13 Chinese
(I) they were released }
newsworkers which concerned us. It was in
fact our assessment of the effect of the
premature release of the 13 on the actions of
others. If asked News Department will also
make this point.
4. There is also the possibility that the
Chinese will protest at certain passages in
the book.
Should they do so it is our inten-
tion to say that we deplore the conditions
described by Grey. If the Chinese Hission
wish to correct what they consider to be
inaccuracies they are at liberty to issue a
to make them poik.
statement to the press or cleos in Cana, dthay nưhug a
5.
The Chinese may protest at the evidence
the book contains of information which could
only originate from members of the British
Mission at the time. This relates in parti-
cular to the chapter on the sacking of the
Mission and to the trial of Reuters' chauffeur.
6. We intend replying that naturally, after Lựfth cacking) his release,
Grey spoke with eye witnesses/and
had access to accounts published at the time.
RESTRICTED
As regards the chauffent's trial gray quotes or
newspaper many of
Chine.
Ra Guard
which found them's
outs.de
/ The
WOEL ST-3406
RESTRICTED
and throughout ite preparation he how
made clear that he had no intention 17
What he
permitting called "fficial censorship.
+
The manuscript was not, however, submitted
officially to the FCO. News Department will
comment similarly if asked.
7. For your own information, Grey did in
fact show certain passages of his book to
members of the FCO, but this was on a strictly
private basis(see Murray's letter FEC 13/3 of
23 January to you). The sources for the
account of Wang's trial is the enclosure to
Weston's letter of 24 October 1967. Reuters
appear, however, to have received their copy
of this through AFP. [questioned abombollais
chapter
we thrive it bear to say
Hat Joey quite a Bad Quar
of which four th
que ab it
منظر
Hom
that way out rota Chiza fuch a
tokely
the press. ]
4
MW%.
From
The Chinese
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
RESTRICTED
C 13
12|3
Destruldeal
2/9 Aw2.
2 September, 1970
I am most grateful to you for sending an advance copy of Anthony Grey's
book "Hostage in Peking".
It was most good of you to send it so promptly.
Pla
(J. A. L. Morgan)
Head, Far Eastern Department
Richard Webb, Esq.,
Publicity Department,
Michael Joseph Ltd.,
52 Bedford Square,
LONDON, .c.1.
Mr. Walford
Private Office
RESTRICTED
3.
Mr. Anthony Grey's Book:
"Hostage in Peking"
I attach a copy of my earlier submission about press
interest in Mr. Grey's account of his interview with
Mr. Michael Stewart.
2.
I also attach a photocopy of the chapter concerned.
3. As I mentioned in my earlier submission, we can trace
no official record. You suggested that the Private Office
might be asked whether they would be prepared to ask
Mr. Michael Stewart if it represented a true account.
SALMngan
(J. A. L. Morgan)
2 September, 1970
Co
Ј
certainly think
think that we must
find out whether
former Secretary of State accepts that Mr. Qrey's is
accurate account of their conversation. We must do
prooible and in
avent in advance
of publication (reat weak) Kunhilfe
RESTRICTED
My.
Wiford
News Department
Mr. Anthony Grey's Book:
"A Hostage in Peking"
You mentioned yesterday that we can expect press
interest in the chapter in Anthony Grey's book giving a
critical account of his interview with Mr. Michael Stewart
on 6 November last year. We can trace no official record.
2. As you suggested, I have sent a copy of the chapter to