TNAG-0031-FCO40-67-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 208

CONFIDENTIAL

ANNEX A

EFFORTS TO NEGOTIATE MR. GREY'S RELEASE

31.8.67 In a letter to the Chinese Foreign Minister,

Ch'en Yi, the Foreign Secretary indicated that

he might be able to arrange the release to China

of N.C.N.A. journalists imprisoned in Hong Kong

in exchange for the release of Mr. Grey. No

answer has been received.

31.12.67 The Chargé d'Affaires in Peking, Mr. (now Sir) D.

Hopson, on instructions made an informal suggestion

to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs that

Mr. Grey be exchanged for Hsueh P'ing, an N.C.N.A.

reporter imprisoned in Hong Kong.

8.2.68

1.3.68

Mr. Cradock, Counsellor at the Mission in Peking,

repeated on an official besis the offer to

exchange Mr. Grey for Neueh P'ing.

Sir D. Hopson raised the proposed exchange again

with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The reply

was that his suggestion had been noted but that

there was no news yet.

CONFIDENTIAL