CONFIDENTIAL
HER/CAT A
PRIORITY COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO HONG KONG
TELNO 324
*
23 FEBRUARY, 1968 (F & HKD)
CONFIDENTIAL.
315
ADDRESSED TO HONGKONG TELEGRAM NO 324 OF 23/2 REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO PEKING.
MY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING TELEGRAM:
PRISON VISITS.
SUBJECT TO YOUR COMMENTS AND THOSE OF PEKING, I SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING PLAN OF ACTION:
(A)
SIR DONALD HOPSON SHOULD SAY TO THE CHINESE THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SEE HOW SOME PROGRESS COULD BE MADE OVER THE QUESTION OF VISITS TO IMPRISONED N C N A AND OTHER JOURNALISTS. ALL THESE PRISONERS HAVE OF COURSE BEEN RECEIVING REGULAR VISITS BUT, AS A SPECIAL CONCESSION, WE ARE NOW PREPARED TO MAKE ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR SPECIAL VISITS TO SUCH PRISONERS, THE DETAILS (INCLUDING THE NUMBERS OF JOURNALISTS INVOLVED) COULD BE ARRANGED IN HONG KONG BETWEEN NCNA AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER WHO HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THEM.
(B)
IF ASKED, HOPSON SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT THE QUESTION OF VISITS BY NC NA TO NON-N CN A JOURNALIST PRISONERS SHOULD NOT BE A MAJOR DIFFICULTY, ADDING THAT ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE FOR REPRESENTATIVES OF NCNA TO BE INCLUDED IN VISITS BY THE EMPLOYERS OF SUCH PERSONS.
(C)
HOPSON SHOULD FOLLOW THIS UP BY SOME FORM OF WORDS INDICATING THAT WE EXPECT TO HEAR FROM THE CHINESE SOON ABOUT ACCESS TO GREY. (WITHOUT MAKING VISITS TO PRISONERS DIRECTLY CONDITIONAL UPON ACCESS TO GREY, WE WISH TO LEAVE THE CHINESE IN NO DOUBT THAT WE SEE THE TWO AS CONNECTED.)
2.
THE HANDLING OF THE APPROACH TO N C N A IN HONG KONG WOULD DEPEND ON WHETHER IT IS POSSIBLE TO ENGAGE IN A TWO-WAY
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CONFIDENTIAL
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