TNAG-0028-FCO40-64-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 100

FOREIGN OPRICE TELERAM NO. 152 TO PEKING

2.

GREY: AND WE ARE ALSO PREPARED TO MAKE OFFICIAL THE OFFER ALREADY MADE BY YOU ON A PERSONAL BASIS THAT GREY SHOULD BE EXCHANGED FOR HSUFH P'ING (AND, IF THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE, LO AS WELL). WE ARE NOT (REPEAT NOT) PREPARED TO GIVE ENTRY VISAS FOR N.C.N.A. IF THE CHINESE MAKE NO MOVE OVER GREY.

*

3. YOU HAVE AUTHORITY TO PUT THESE SUGGESTIONS TO THE CHINESE

IN THE FORM YOU THINK MOST LIKELY TO ACHIEVE RESULTS. IF THE CHINESE INDICATE THAT THEY WILL MAKE NO RECIPROCAL CONCESSIONS

UNLESS WE ACCEPT ALL THEIR QUOTE DEMANDS UNQUOTE YOU SHOULD MAKE

IT CLEAR THAT WE SHALI HAVE TO RECONSIDER THE WHOLE POSITION

INCLUDING THE CONCESSIONS AT (A) AND (B) ABOVE.

4. AS SEEN FROM HERE IT APPEARS UNLIKELY THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE

TO GET MUCH CONSTRUCTIVE RESPONSE OVER GREY DURING THE COURSE

OF ONE INTERVIEW, A POSSIBLE LINE OF APPROACH MIGHT THEREFORE

BE:

(A) YOU MIGHT TELL THE CHINESE THAT H.M.G. HAD SUDIED THEIR PROPOSALS, FOUND MUCH IN THEM THAT WAS CONSTRUCTIVE AND HAD VARIOUS CONCRETE SUGGESTIONS TO MAKE IN RETURN ABOUT IMPROVING CONDITIONS FOR BOTH MISSIONS. THERE WAS HOWEVER ONE POINT THAT

H.M.G. FOUND HIGHLY UNSATISFACTORY; NO POSITIVE SUGGESTION

HAD BEEN MADE ABOUT SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF GREY. HOW COULD

H.M.G. MAKE ANY MOVES TO REINFORCE THE ACTIVITIES OF N.C.N.A.

IN LONDON WHILE GREY WAS STILL UNDER HOUSE ARREST? BRITISH

PUBLIC OPINION WOULD CONSIDER THAT REINFORCING THE ACTIVITIES

OF N.C.N.A. WAS A POLITICAL

WAS A POLITICAL AND NOT JUST A VISA MATTER, AND THEY

WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND. YOU HAD ALREADY MAKE A PERSONAL SUGGESTION

ABOUT WAYS OF ACHIEVING PROGRESS OVER GREY AND WERE NOW AUTHOR-

ISED TO SAY THAT THIS HAD THE BLESSING OF H.M.G. YOU WOULD LIKE

TO CALL AGAIN IN 48 HOURS TO HEAR WHAT THE CHINESE HAD TO SAY ABOUT

THIS,

(B) IF THE CHINESE SUBSEQUENTLY GAVE SUFFICIENT ASSURANCE THAT THE GREY PROBLEM WOULD BE SETTLED QUICKLY PROVIDING THAT N.C.N.A. VISAS WERE GRANTED, YOU COULD THEN AGREE TO THE VISAS BUT ADD THAT RESIDENCE PERMITS WOULD ONLY BE ISSUED FOR

PERIODS OF ONE (REPEAT ONE) MONTH INITIALLY UNTIL THE PROBLEM

CONFIDENTIAL

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