Cypher/Cat A
IMMEDIATE PEKING TO FOREIGN OFFICE
Teln 240
26 March 1968
CONFIDENTIAL
400
CONFIDENTIAL
Addressed to F.0. telegram No. 240 of 26 March Repeated for information to:
Hong Kong.
Prison Visits.
My immediately preceding telegram:
We now face the question whether we should concede the two points, first the inclusion of seven other employees of Wen Hui Pao and second proposed increase in numbers.
2.
Although it is unpalatable to have to give further ground I consider that in the circumstances we should be prepared to make concession on the first point for the following reasons:
3.
(a) there has been an element of genuine misunderstanding. The Chinese term "newspaper worker" seems to have been regularly trans- lated into English by the Chinese interpreters in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as "journalist". Equally our references to "bona fide journalists" have probably been translated the same way. We are therefore on weak ground for arguing that the Chinese are seeking to misinterpret original agreement.
(b) The degree of discrimination in favour of a certain group of political prisoners will be no greater than if we include the seven. We shall still be within the category of newspaper workers, if not of reporters and journalists in the English sense of the word.
(c) We seem to be within sight of agreement on prison visits. N.C.N.A. Hong Kong have dropped dangerous demand of meetings in groups. Hsueh reiterated that if Hong Kong meetings were arranged Chinese would consider a visit to Grey and the argument for getting access to Grey is to my mind a very strong one. My strong impression is that Peking wishes to settle on the question of prison visits, but that they wish to leave details in the hands of NCNA Hong Kong,
(a) We might present this as evidence of our readiness to take concrete steps to improve relations in Hong Kong as suggested by Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs' statement of 8 March.
As regards second point (the number of visitors), I think we could agree to three and stick at that point. At the conclusion of interview Hsueh said "not less than three" but I think NCNA Hong Kong might well settle for three if we grant them the point in paragraph 2 above.
F.O. pass Immediate Hong Kong 167. Sir D. Hopson
[Repeated as requested]
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
F.0.
F.E.D.
C.O.
77777
Consular Dept.
P.C.D.
D.D. & P.U.S.D.
News Dept.
J.I.R.D.
O.L.A. H.K.D.
News Dept.
P
399 407
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.