TNAG-0032-FCO40-68-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 111

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2. WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE POINT THAT BY THE RELEASE OF DETAINEES IN THE WAY PROPOSED, WE WOULD BE UNDERLINING UNDULY THE LINK BETWEEN BRITISH SUBJECTS IN CHINA AND OUR POLICIES IN HONG KONG, AND THA THIS MIGHT ENCOURAGE THE CHINESE TO TRY TO BARGAIN FURTHER AND LARGER RELEASES OF DETAINEES AGAINST THE RELEASE OF BRITISH SUBJECTS IN DETENTION IN CHINA, HOWEVER, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HONG KONG IS NOW SO CLEAR THAT THERE SEEMS LITTLE ADVANTAGE IN TRYING TO PLAY IT DOWN. MOREOVER, WE ARE SURE THAT THE CHINESE WOULD NOT CONSIDER THE RELEASE OF DETAINEES AS AN APPROPRIATE QUID PRO QUO FOR THE RELEASE OF MR. GREY, AND WE DOUBT VERY MUCH WHETHER IT WOULD DIRECT- LY INFLUENCE THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHER BRITISH SUBJECTS EITHER. 3. WE RECOGNISE THAT THERE IS NO MOMENT WHICH FROM THE HONG KONG FOINT OF VIEW COULD BE REGARDED AS IDEAL FOR MAKING CONCESSIONS, BUT SINCE NEITHER WE NOR YOU WOULD JUDGE RELEASES OF THIS SORT TO BE A MAJOR CONCESSION, WE WOULD HOPE THAT THEY COULD BE MADE AT A TIME WHEN THE SITUATION VIS-A-VIS THE LOCAL COMMUNISTS IS **NOT

UNFAVOURABLE"" (YOUR TELEGRAM 928). IF YOUR WERE TO SEE STRONG (7// OBJECTION TO THE SIMULTANEOUS RELEASE OF THE NUMBER OF DETAINEES HOP SON PROPOSES, WE THINK THAT THE RELEASE OF SEVERAL SMALL GROUPS OVER A PERIOD OF WEEKS WOULD ALSO BE BENEFICIAL. BUT IN THE LIGHT OF THE FOREGOING CONSIDERATIONS, AS SEEN HERE WE BELIEVE THERE COULD BE SUBSTANTIAL ADVANTAGE IN A LARGER GESTURE INVOLVING A MINIMUM OF TEN PERSONS.

WE SHOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER THESE

SUGGESTIONS AND LET US HAVE YOUR VIEWS.

5. IF THE CHINESE HONOUR THEIR UNDERTAKING ON VISAS AND WE MATCH IT BY A GESTURE ON RELEASE OF DETAINEES, THIS MIGHT CREATE THE SORT UP ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH WE COULD WORK TOWARDS A SOLUTION TO THE

INTRACTABLE PROBLEM OF GREY. WE SHALL BE TELEGRAPHING SEPARATELY

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