TNAG-0028-FCO40-64-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 25

CYPHER CAT A

IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NO 241

NFIDENTIAL.

CONFIDENTIAL

TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

26 FEBRUARY 1968

YYTEL

ADDRESSED SECRETARY OF STATE RFI PEKING MYTEL. NO. 76 DATED

26TH FEBRUARY.

14

YOUR TELEGRAMS NOS. 323, 324, AND 325

PRISON VISITS.

(317)

320

I AM NOT ANXIOUS TO PROLONG THE DISCUSSION, BUT YOU NO DOUBT

APPRECIATE THAT THESE TELEGRAMS SUGGEST SIX ADDITIONAL

CONCESSIONS WHICH, IN VARYING DEGREE, WILL DISTINGUISH THESE PRISONERS AND WHICH I AM ACCORDINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING-

(1) THE INCLUSION OF N.C.N.A. IN THE VISITS AT ALL,

WHICH

I HAVE HOWEVER ALREADY INDICATED I WOULD ACCEPT IF NECESSARY: (11) USE OF THE SPECIAL ROOM, WHICH COULD WELL BE AWKWARD IF CONSIDERABLE NUMBERS ARE INVOLVED WITHOUT ADEQUATE SPACING. HERE AGAIN, HOWEVER, I AM PREPARED TO SO ARRANGE, ALTHOUGH I SEE LITTLE REASON TO VOLUNTEER THE PROPOSAL:

(111) YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 323, PARAGRAPH 3. TO ALLOW VISITS

BY MCNA ALONE WOULD BE A FURTHER MOVE AWAY FROM OUR CURRENT

PRISON PRACTICE AND IN THE DIRECTION OF GRANTING NONA A SPECIAL

STATUS. I DO NOT MYSELF SEE WHY WE SHOULD THINK IT NECESSARY

TO CONCEDE THE POINT IN ADVANCE, LET ALONE TAKE THE INITIATIVE

IN PUTTING THE CONCESSION INTO THE MINDS OF THE CHINESE, SINCE

WE ARE PREPARED TO ALLOW A RESPONSIBLE OFFICER OF THE EMPLOYING

ORGANISATION TO BE SUBSTITUTED FOR THE EMPLOYER:

(IV) YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 323, PARAGRAPH 4. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES

PERHAPS IT WOULD BE BETTER TO SAY NOTHING INITIALLY ABOUT TIME

LIMITS, AND LEAVE IT TO THE CHINESE TO RAISE THE POINT:

NEVERTHELESS THIS IS UNLIKELY TO BE A PROBLEM UNLESS THE

NUMBERS ARE LARGE AND CANNOT BE CONVENIENTLY SPACED:

LAST REF.

HEAT

REF.

217 322

/(V) YOUR

CONFIDENTIAL