TNAG-0029-FCO40-65-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 198

CONFIDENTIAL

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37/6/1

ACCESS TO MR. GREY

Since the end of last year, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in discussions with our Mission in Peking have linked consular access to Mr. Grey in Péking with special visits to communist prisoners in gaol in Hong Kong •

Our present position, as put to the Chinese by Sir Donald

Hopson on 1 March, is this:

(a) Sir D. Hopson pointed out that all journalists in

prison in Hong Kong had been receiving regular visits but that wo were now prepared to make arrangements

for additional visits to such prisoners. If the nanog

of the journalists were supplied to us we could agree (provided that the prisoners did not object) to en additional visit to each individual by his employer

accompanied by ono other official of tha newspaper employing him, or alternatively by one representative of the New China News Agency.

(b) Sir D. Hopson stressed that those in question must be

bona fide journalists and enquired whether the Chinese

could inform him of the likely numbers involved. He

suggested that the New China News Agency in Hong Kong

should communicate the names of the journalists and of

those proposing to visit them to the authorities in

Hong Kong, so that the timing of the visits and other details could be arranged.

CONFIDENTIAL

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