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the Chinese demands (Hong Kong tolegram No. 212). He is
prepared, albeit with reluctance, to agree that, besides
official visits to N.C.N.A. journalists, official visits
should also be allowed by their employers to other "patriotic
journalists". He is prepared to hint that representatives of
N.C.N.A. could accompany the employers. He is, however, under-
standably anxious that the N.C.N.A. should not arrogate to
itself a quasi-consular status in demanding right of access
to a wide range of prisoners. The fear that N.C.N.A. may
build itself into an alternative focus of loyalty in Hong
Kong is long-standing and well-founded.
8. As Six D. Hopson has pointed out (Peking telegram No. 133)
the Governor's suggestions go only part of the way towards
meeting the Chinese demands and I agree with him in thinking
that, put in this form, they would almost certainly fail to
secure our prime objective: access to Mr. Grey, He has
recommended strongly that we should meet the Chinese on all
their points and believes that, if we do so, we have a very
good chance of succeeding.
Locess to
9. I am not myself fully convinced that the Chinese will not
produce further "demands" before agreeing to access to Mr. Grey,
but I think it is very important that we test them. Mr. Grey is an urgent necessity and at the very worst, if the
move fails, we shall at least know that the Chinese are not
seriously interested in a reasonable quid pro quo for visits. There are, however, dangers in agreeing to the Chinese demands of which Ministers should be aware. 'Bosides the obvious one
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