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CONFIDENTIAL
Cypher/Cat A
HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Telno. 167
290
8 February 1968
HW
子
CONFIDENTIAL
Addressed to Commonwealth Office telegram No. 167 of 8 February,
Repeated for information to Peking.
287
Peking telegram No. 106 to Foreign Office: Communist prisoners.
I entirely agree that the prospect of the operation's success would be much enhanced if the prisoners expressed willingness to return to China; and there seems some chance that it might be possible to persuade them to do so.
2.
On the other hand, they might very well, in accordance with the normal practice of Communist prisoners here, refuse to sign any documents. In that event we would have to decide our line of action in the light of their general attitude. If they refused to sign but indicated that they would not be averse to returning to China, we would propose to proceed with the operation to the extent of taking them to Lo Wu Bridge and leaving them free to cross or not as they wanted. We would not try to force them over. If, on the other hand, they indicated very positively that they were unwilling to return to China, I do not think that it would be profitable or wise to go ahead.
Commonwealth Office pass Peking as my telegram No. 56.
Sir D. Trench.
[Repetition to Peking referred for departmental decision]
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