539
CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY FOREIGN OFFICE TO PEKING
TELNO 459
7 MAY, 1968 (FED)
CONFIDENTIAL.
ADDRESSED TO PEKING-TELEGRAM NUMBER 459 OF 7 MAY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG.
518A)
A
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 348 : GREY.
WE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG WHAT STEPS MIGHT NOW BE TAKEN TO GAIN FURTHER ACCESS TO GREY AND TO IMPROVE THE
CONDITIONS OF HIS DETENTION.
2. TO GAIN FURTHER CONSULAR ACCESS WE MAY INDEED IN THE FINAL INSTANCE HAVE TO OFFER ANOTHER ROUND OF SPECIAL VISITS TO QUOTE
JOURNALIST PRISONERS UNQUOTE IN HONG KONG: BUT WE ARE VERY
RELUCTANT TO TAKE AN INITIATIVE AT THIS STAGE. WE AGREE HOWEVER
THAT WE SHOULD PUT ON RECORD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE OUR DISSATISFACTION
AT THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH GREY IS DETAINED. WE THINK THEREFORE THAT YOUR FIRST STEP SHOULD BE TO TEST WHETHER THE CHINESE WOULD
ACCEPT NON-DIPLOMATIC VISITS (E.G. BY FRIENDS IN THE FOREIGN PRESS
CORPS) TO MATCH MONTHLY VISITS BY RELATIVES AND FRIENDS ENJOYED
BY PRISONERS IN HONG KONG. WE SUGGEST THAT, AS SOON AS THE NEXT MONTHLY VISITS TO THE TWO N.C.N.A. JOURNALISTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE, YOU SHOULD ASK FOR ACCESS ON BEHALF OF ONE OR MORE OF "GREY'S FRIENDS.
J
3. WE HOPE THAT YOU NOW HAVE SUFFICIENT AMMUNITION ON PRISON CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG TO PRESS FOR IMPROVED CONDITIONS FOR GREY,
IN DOING SO IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO AVOID SO FAR AS POSSIBLE DISCUSSION OF N.C.N.A. COMPLAINTS ABOUT HONG KONG PRISON CONDITIONS,
YOU WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO MAKE THE POINT IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE.
4. WE CONSIDERED WHETHER THERE WAS ANY STEP THAT COULD BE TAKEN IN HONG KONG TO BACK UP YOUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE GREY'S CONDITIONS. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE VERY LIMITED SINCE THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS
LAS
RE
518A.
CONFIDENTIAL
540 544 549
f.a.
/IN
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.