TNAG-0031-FCO40-67-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 101

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER/CAT A

HONG KONG

TO: COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELNO: 627

26 JUNE, 1968.

COPY

602

63

Hir

CONFIDENTIAL

ADDRESSED CO TELEGRAM NO. 827 OF 26TH JUNE REPEATED PEKING.

(598

PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 601 TO FOREIGN OFFICE.

UNTIL RECENTLY THE MAJORITY OF COMMUNIST PRISONERS REFUSED TO

WORK, AND ALTHOUGH THEY WERE ALLOWED PRIVILEGES SUCH AS THAT OF

RECEIVING VISITS THEY WERE KEPT LOCKED IN THEIR CELLS EXCEPT DURING

EXCEFCISE PERIODS. OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS PRISON STAFF HAVE

TEIED TO PERSUADE THEM TO WORK, BUT NO PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, LARGELY BECAUSE THE PRISONERS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO IMPOSE UNACCEPTABLE .

CONDITIONS.

2. IN THE LAST TWO DAYS THERE HAS BEEN A COMPLETE CHANGE OF ATTITUDE.

ALL COMMUNIST PRISONERS, INCLUDING THE JOURNALISTS ARE NOW WORKING

IN THE NORMAL WAY. THEY ARE NO LONGER BEING KEPT LOCKED IN THEIR

CELLS.

3. THE REASON FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT IS NOT CLEAR, BUT THE ARGUMENT

THAT COMMUNIST PRISONERS ARE BEING GRANTED PRIVILEGES TO WHICH THEY

ARE NOT ENTITLED (E.G. PARAGRAPH 3 OF OUR TELEGRAM NO. 591) IS

NO LONGER VALID.

FO PLEASE PASS ROUTINE PEKING AS MYTEL 314.

SIR. D. TRENCH

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

C.O.

HONG KONG DEPARTMENT.

F.C.

F.E.D.

C.O.

SOUTH ASIA DEPARTMENT F:E.P.D.

NEWS DEPARTMENT.

F.0.

U.N. DEPARTMENT

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT

P.U.S.D.

I.R.D.

NEWS DEPARTMENT

鼗

CONSULAR DEPARTMENT.

598

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63 - 1 JUL1968

HWAS/

CONFIDENTIAL