TNAG-0028-FCO40-64-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 80

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IMM ATE

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felno 125

PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE

11 February, 1968

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Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 125 of 11 February Repeated for informatig to Hong Kong.

Your telno 246 to Hong Kong: Visits to Prisoners.

Chinese terms were much more explicit than para. 2 and para. 3 of your telegram would suggest.

(274)

(a) Hsueh made a clear statement on 28 January that if official visits to the two NCNA prisoners and to "patriotic" journalists were arranged the Chinese can consider allowing facilities for official British officer to visit Grey". (My telegram No. 84. This is about as firm as we can expect the Chinese to be.

(b) Hsueh also made a clear distinction between the above official visits, which were the price for access to Grey, and visits to other prisoners. This was important change from the Chinese position on 31 December. Interview on

31 January made it plain that why the deal fell through was our unwillingness to permit official visit to "patriotic" journalists. The other prisoners were not mentioned.

2. I would see no objection from here to an approach to NCNA as in para. 5 of your telegram, but only if we are now prepared to pay the 28 January price. If we are not it would be better not stir NCNA up again. If we are prepared to pay, I might [gp.undec] see Hsueh again; in theory at least we are still considering his view given on 1 January and his request that we should think again.

Sir D. Hopson

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