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3. FINALLY I MUST EMPHASIZE AGAIN THAT I REGARD THE PREMATURE
+
RELEASE OF CONVICTED PRISONERS HERE ON GREY'S BEHALF AS UNDESIRABLE
PER SE FROM THE STRICTLY HONG KONG POINT OF VIEW. MOREOVER I CONTINUE
TO HOLD THE VIEW THAT TO MAKE CONSIDERABLE CONCESSIONS IN THE HOPE OF
A RESPONSE IS THE WRONG WAY TO BUY SETTLEMENTS, AND IS NOT IN HONG
KONG'S BEST LONG TERM INTERESTS. I AM MOVED ONLY BY THE POWERFUL
HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS, AND BY RECOGNITION OF THE POSSIBLE ILL-
EFFECTS OF PRESSURE DEVELOPING ON GREY'S BEHALF, TO SUGGEST GOING
AS FAR AS PROPOSED IN MY TELEGRAM NO. 1007. IN THIS CONNECTION I HAD
NOT ENVISAGED AN EARLY PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN, WHICH I AGREE TAKEN ALONE
COULD WELL BE INEFFECTIVE, BUT ONE CAREFULLY TIMED TO MAKE ITS MAIN
IMPACT ABOUT THE DATE OF HSUEH'S DUE DATE OF RELEASE.
CO PLEASE PASS PRIORITY PEKING.
SIR D. TRENCH
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
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