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CYPHER/CAT A
PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NO. 1007
TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
19 AUGUST 1968
ADDRESSED CO TELEGRAM NO. 1007 OF 19TH AUGUST REPEATED PEKING.
SECRET
59YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 1375 : GREY.
1 REALISE THAT CONCERN OVER GREY IS INCREASING AND IS LIKELY TO 3D ON INCREASING AND THAT IT MAY BECOME MORE AND MORE
DIFFICULT TO RESIST PRESSURE FOR SOME ACTION OF A KIND THAT CAN BE PUBLICLY DISCLOSED. I HOPE HOWEVER THAT WE SHALL BE ABLE TO AVOID ACTION FOR IT'S OWN SAKE, AND CAN CONTINUE TO BASE OUR TACTICS ON WHAT WILL MOST SURELY ASSIST GREY WITHOUT TOO GREATLY JEOPARDIZING HONG KONG'S LONG AND SHORT TERM INTERESTS.
2. I THINK WE SHOULD NOW SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE DESIRABILITY OF ENCOURAGING A CAREFULLY TIMED PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN ABOUT GREY. I RECOGNIZE THAT ONE (ILLOGICAL) CONSEQUENCE MAY BE TO INCREASE PRESSURE ON ME TO RELEASE PRISONERS: BUT POSSIBLY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, EMBARRASSED TO SOME EXTENT AS THEY MAY WELL BY NOW BE OVER GREY, MIGHT BE BECOMING SUSCEPTIBLE TO PRESSURE OF
THIS KIND.
3. FROM HONG KONG'S POINT OF VIEW, I WOULD PREFER TO DO NOTHING ELSE UNTIL HSUBH IS RELEASED ON THE 18TH NOVEMBER (HE HAS NOT BEEN DEPRIVED OF GOOD CONDUCT MARKS AND HIS RELEASE THEN WILL BE AUTOMATIC AND NOT A MATTER REQUIRING DECISION). WE COULD THEN WAIT A WEEK OR TWO AFTER HIS RELEASE AND SEE WHETHER THE CHINESE RESPONDED BY RELEASING GREY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF HSUEH'S RELEASE
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759 785079
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.63 20 AUG1968
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