CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
ROUTINE HONG KONG
TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO. 591
11 MAY 1968
549
Second copy for entry in ...Dept.
H.K.
CONFIDENTIAL.
ADDRESSED COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AS MY TELEGRAM NO. 591 DATED 11TH MAY
Top copy sont to.
F.E.
FFI PEKING.
509
•YOUR TELEGRAM 797 [NO.459 TO PEKING]: GREY.
WE FEAR THAT THE TRANSFER OF THE TWO NCNA AND OTHER JOURNALISTS TO AN OPEN PRISON COULD BE INTERPRETED BY THE COMMUNISTS AS A HOSTILE
MOVE, FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
CAD IT WOULD DEPRIVE THEM OF CONTACT WITH THE MAJORITY OF COMMUNIST
PRISONERS, WHO ARE IN STANLEY,
(B) THEY WOULD BE LESS ACCESSIBLE TO VISITORS,
(C) THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO WORK, WHICH THEY HAVE REFUSED TO DO
AT STANLEY,
2. THE COMMUNIST PRESS HAS ALREADY PROTESTED AGAINST THE TRANSFER
OF CERTAIN COMMUNIST PRISONERS TO CHI MA WAN OPEN PRISON ON LANTAO
ISLAND, DESCRIBING IT AS A HARD LABOUR CAMP,
3. IT IS NOT EASY TO SUGGEST, ANY ALTERNATIVE MOVES TO EASE CONDITIONS FOR THESE PRISONERS. THEY ARE ALREADY RECEIVING
PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT, IN SO FAR AS NO CREPEAT NO DISCIPLINARY ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AGAINST THEM AS A RESULT OF THEIR REFUSAL TO
WORK AND THEY ARE STILL RECEIVING ALL THE NORMAL PRIVILEGES.
CO PLEASE PASS PEKING 219. A
MR. GASS
[REPETITION TO PEKING REFERRED FOR
DEPARTMENTAL DECISION ].
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F.0.
F.E.D.
CONSULAR DEPT.
NEWS. DEPT.
DEFENCE DEPT.
P.U.S.D.
I.R.D.
C.O.
H.K.D.
F.E. & P.D.
NEWS DEPT. S.R.D.
LAST
539
NEXT
p.a.
REF.
CONFIDENTIAL
گی
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.