CONFIDENTIAL
Cypher/Cat A
PRIORITY PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Telno 41
CONFIDENTIAL
12 January 1968
231
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 41 of 12 January Repeated for information to Hong Kong
241) Hong Kong telegram No. 50 to Commonwealth Office.
I appreciate greatly the restraint shown by Britain and Hong Kong in general sphere of anti-Communist actions over past few weeks. Nor do I underestimate the problem posed by any gesture of the kind proposed in my telegram No. 22.
2.
236
Nevertheless the measures rehearsed in paragraphs 2 and 3 of telegram under reference would seem to be mainly of a negative nature i.e. of no (repeat no) pursuing action which has no conclusion and not (repeat not) adding to our number of prisoners. While we can presume that they have been noted with satisfaction by the Chinese Government we cannot expect them to have political impact of a substantial positive act such as remission of sentences on existing prisoners. We know, from Chinese statements about normalization being dependent on release of all prisoners, that this is a key issue.
3. It is of course arguable that any gesture on our part will be construed by the Communists as a sign of weakness and will only encourage them to be tougher, either
(a) In Hong Kong or
(b)
to this Mission and British subjects in
China
As regards (a) I should have thought the fact that confrontation has manifestly failed and that the Communist lines having radically changed would be sufficient assurance against such a danger. The gestures already made in Hong Kong and detailed in telegram under reference have not produced this ill effect. The situation grows quieter. If it were to deteriorate within the next few weeks that of course would be grounds for changing our own tack in response, but I think the risk of this now looks small.
As regards (b) evidence is admittedly slight. gesture in lifting the restrictions on the in November produced some useful results. that our situation is related to Hong Kong.
T
CEF.
241
CONFIDENTIAL
But our Chinese in London
We have been told
I think therefore
/there is
LEXI
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