TNAG-0028-FCO40-64-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 35

CYPHER/CAT A

IMMEDIATE

.CONFIDENTIAL

HONG KONG

ΤΟ

TELEGRAM NUMBER 234

NFIDENTIAL

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

23 FEBRUARY 1968

316

HIROMAN

ARCHIES NO.63

2 6 FEB 1968

4WD 3/2

ADDRESSED CO TELEGRAM NO. 234 OF 23RD FEBRUARY REPEATED REKING

10 PEKING TELEGRAM 133: PRISONERS.

THE DIFFICULTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO EXPLAIN ́ADEQUATELY IN TELEGRAMS

PRACTICES WHICH, ALTHOUGH GOVERNED BY FORMAL PRISON RULES,

ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY THE FACT THAT THESE SAME RULES ALLOW PRISON

AUTHORITIES DISCRETION TO MODIFY THE RULES IN INDIVIDUAL CASES

FOR GOOD CAUSE: EACH CASE BEING CONSIDERED ON MERIT, WHEREAS

HERE WE HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM TO A LARGE EXTENT ON

A HYPOTHETICAL BASIS. STRAINING THE RULES BECOMES MORE POTENTIALLY

EMBARRASSING THE MORE PRISONERS WE HAVE TO STRAIN THEM FOR.

306 2. MY TELEGRAM 212 WENT PRETTY WELL TO THE LIMITS OF THE LIBERALITY

306) 2.

ALLOWABLE. WE ARE ACCEPTING HERE THAT ACCESS TO GREY IS A COMPELLING

REASON FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT SEMICOLON BUT THIS, CIN SO FAR AS

MY PROBLEMS OF PRISON DISCIPLINE AND HONG KONG PUBLIC OPINION GOD

IS CERTAINLY TAKING RISKS. I WOULD MYSELF HAVE TO QUALIFY THE

OBJECT MENTIONED IN THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 3(E)

OF PEKING TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE BY POINTING OUT THAT THE RISK

OF DANGEROUS REPERCUSSIONS HERE MUST ALSO BE CONSIDERED.

3. NEVERTHELESS, PROVIDED I KNOW WHO ARE THE PATRIOTIC JOURNALISTS'

INVOLVED, I WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER VISITS TO THEM ON THE BASIS PROPOSED PLUS THE CONCESSION OF AN ACCOMPANYING NCNA OFFICIAL: ALTHOUGH I CONCEDE THIS WITH RELUCTANCE. I CONSIDER

THAT THE CHINESE MUST BE INFORMED EITHER IN PEKING OR HERE OF THE GENERAL CONDITIONS (1) TO (V) IN PARAGRAPH 5 OF MY TELEGRAM 212 BEFORE ANY UNDERTAKING TO ALLOW VISITS IS GIVEN, AND I WOULD PREFER THIS TO BE DONE IN PEKING IF POSSIBLE. TO DO SO HERE AFTER AN APPROACH IN PEKING IS ONLY LIKELY TO LEAD TO CHARGES OF BAD

FAITH AND RAISING NEW OBSTACLES.

4. I WOULD

CONFIDENTI AL

LAST

REF.

910

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