CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A AND BY BAG
IMMEDIATE FOREIGN OFFICE TO PEKING
TELNO 338
5 APRIL 1968
· (F)
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432
CONFIDENTIAL.
ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NUMBER 338 OF 5 APRIL REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG AND SAVING TO WASHINGTON.
SINO BRITISH RELATIONS.
PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY SUMMONED THE CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AT NOON TODAY.
2.
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MR. RODGERS SAID THAT WE HAD NOTED MR. LO KUEI-PO'S STATEMENT OF 8 MARCH ABOUT SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS. WE TOO ATTACHED IMPORTANCE TO THE SETTLEMENT OF OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS IN SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS, WE HAD BEEN CONSIDERING THE TERMS
OF THE REPLY TO MR, LO'S STATEMENT WHICH WOULD MAKE THIS CLEAR, BUT OUR TASK HAD BEEN MADE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT BY INFORMATION WHICH HAD REACHED US IN THE MEANTIME ABOUT CERTAIN ACTS OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WHICH SEEMED TO SUGGEST THAT THE CHINESE WERE PURSUING A POLICY OF DELIBERATE HOSTILITY TOWARDS BRITISH SUBJECTS IN CHINA. WE HAD IN MIND THE SENTENCING OF MR, WATT OF VICKERS-ZIMMER TO THREE YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR ALLEGED ESPIONAGE: THE ARREST OF MR. NORMAN BARRYMAINE A BRITISH JOURNALIST WHO WAS PASSING TH ROUGH SHANGHAI: THE AFFAIR OF THE S.S.QUOTE DEMODOCUS UNQUOTE AT SHANGHAI, IN PARTICULAR THE ARREST OF THE 2ND OFFICER, MR. CROUCH AND THE DEPORTATION OF THE 3RD OFFICER MR, WILSON: AND THE DETENTION OF THE CHIEF OFFICER
OF THE QUOTE NANCY DEE UNQUOTE, MR. JONES AT HSINKANG.
3.
THESE WERE MATTERS WHICH DESPITE MR. LO'S STATEMENT,
HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT COULD NOT REGARD IN ANY SENSE AS QUOTE SECONDA RY UNQUOTE. THEY WERE THE MORE DISTURBED IN THAT IN EACH CASE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD FAILED TO REPLY TO
OUR REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT WHY THE PEOPLE HAD BEEN
DETAINED AND HAD REFUSED CONSULAR ACCESS.
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4. MR. RODGERS THEN DEALT IN MORE DETAIL WITH THE VARIOUS
CASES MENTIONING ALSO THOSE OF MRS. EPSTEIN AND MR. SHAPIRO.
MR. RODGERS REFERRED SEPARATELY TO THE CASE OF MR. GREY WHICH,
HE SAID, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAD ALWAYS VIEWED WITH THE UTMOST
/GRAVITY,
CONFIDENTIAL
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