TNAG-0028-FCO40-64-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 125

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special visits to N.C.N.A. prisoners and other journalists

by N.C.N.A. officials and members of Chinese organisations.

They then asked that food and clothing should be brought in.

The Governor of Hong Kong pointed out (Hong Kong telegram

No. 1910) that it was essential from his point of view to

avoid discriminating between political and other prisoners

and lending support to Chinese charges of bad conditions by

agreeing to extra food and clothing. He was however willing

to allow special visits, in addition to the monthly visits

already permitted to relatives, if the N.C.N.A. prisoners

complied with the regulations by specifically requesting them.

This was accepted in London and by Sir D. Hopson.

It was

conveyed to the Chinese but the matter has not been pursued

until now. The present request, while demanding less than

the last (i.e. omitting demands to take in food and clothing)

is in essence the same, as the Governor has pointed out, and

is thus open to the same objections (see my submission of

29 December, 1967). Heantime, it was announced in Canton

yesterday that the Kwantung branch of the Chinese Red Cross

had decided to send 1,000 suits of winter clothing to

compatriots in prison in Hong Kong.

4. The important difference on this occasion is that the

Chinese have indicated a willingness to allow consular access

to Mr. Grey. Understandably, Sir D. Hopson is reluctant to

let this opportunity pass since it is, as he says, another

indication, together with the recent Chinese approach about

entry and exit visas, that they are disposed to try to settle

/some

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