TNAG-0028-FCO40-64-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 77

CONFIDENTL

HONG KONG TELEGRAM NU.185 TO COMONIZALET OFFICE

2. ALL THESE PRISONERS CAN NOW RECEIVE REGULAR MONTHLY VISITS

FROM RELATIVES AND FRIENDS, WHO MAY INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES OF

THE ORGANISATIONS EMPLOYING THEM. THE CHINESE REQUEST TO BE

ALLOWED TO MAKE ''OFFICIAL VISITS SEEMS TO BE BOTH A DELIBERATE

EFFORT TO FORCE US TO MAKE A GESTURE OF SUBSERVIENCE TO THEIR

DEMANDS AND TO BE IN EFFECT A CLAIM THAT THE PEOPLE VISITED SHOULD

BE TREATED AS HAVING SOME SPECIAL QUASI-OFFICIAL STATUS. WE

REALLY NEED TO BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL ABOUT GIVING COUNTENANCE

TO ANY SUCH CLAIM.

܀܂

3. IT IS EASY ENOUGH TO DRAW THE LINE ROUND EMPLOYEES OF OFFICIAL

CHINESE ORGANISATIONS. BUT IF WE GO BEYOND THIS CATEGORY WE OPEN

THE DOOR WIDE TO DISCRIMINATION IN FAVOUR OF THE GREAT BULK OF

COMMUNIST PRISONERS SEMICOLON AND THIS COULD EASILY LEAD TO SERIOUS

TROUBLE WITH OTHER PRISONERS. I AM AFRAID I AM RELUCTANT TO TAKE

THIS RISK, EVEN FOR THE SAKE OF HELPING GREY. CI AM MUCH LESS

CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY (PARA 3(C) OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER

REFERENCE) OF THE CHINESE SEEKING TO ARRANGE THE RELEASE TO CHINA

OF A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF IMPRISONED JOURNALISTS IN EXCHANGE FOR

GREY SEMICOLON AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, THE EFFECTIVE DEPORTATION OF

LARGE NUMBERS OF COMMUNISTS FROM THE COLONY IS SOMETHING THAT

WOULD,BE ACCEPTED WITH EQUANIMITY BY PUBLIC OPINION HERE.)

4. IN ANY CASE, THE MFA HAVE ALREADY BEEN TOLD QUITE CLEARLY

(PEKING TELEGRAM 98) THAT WE CANNOT AGREE TO VISITS TO THESE

''OTHER PATRIOTIC JOURNALISTS''. AS A MATTER OF TACTICS, WOULD

IT BE WISE TO YIELD THIS POINT ALMOST AT ONCE IN RESPONSE TO

CHINESE PRESSURE?

/5. I CAN SEE

CONFIDENTIAL