TNAG-0033-FCO40-69-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 33

CYPHER/CAT A

CONFIDENT I AL

PRIORITY

FOREIGN OFFICE

ΤΟ

TELNO 865

CONFIDENTIAL

PEKING

4 OCTOBER 1968 (F)

1864

853

755

1853

FOLLOWING FOR MURRAY.

$48

850

YOUR TELEGRAMS NOS. 898 AND 905 AND HONG KONG TELEGRAM

NO 2038: DETAINEES.

WE FULLY RECOGNISE THE FORCE OF YOUR ARGUMENT THAT THE RELEASE OF DETAINEES IS A FACTOR IN EASING SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS AND THAT THE MAXIMUM ADVANTAGE SHOULD BE TAKEN OF IT. WE ADHERE TO THE VIEWS IN C.O. TELEGRAM NO. 1362 TO HONG KONG. BUT AS THAT TELEGRAM INDICATED WE DO NOT (REPEAT NOT) THINK THAT THE CHINESE WOULD CON- SIDER THE RELEASE OF DETAINEES AS AN APPROPRIATE QUID PRO QUO FOR

ANY SIGNIFICANT MOVE ON BRITISH SUBJECTS.

2.

FROM THE OUTSET THE GOVERNOR HAS NEVER ACCEPTED THE THESIS THAT RELEASES SHOULD BE USED AS A MAJOR INSTRUMENT OF "DE-ESCALATION": WHAT HE HAS DONE IS TO ACQUIESCE IN CERTAIN PROPOSALS WE MADE ABOUT

RELEASES ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT HE WAS SATISFIED THEY COULD BE

JUSTIFIED ON SECURITY GROUNDS. IT IS THEREFORE SCARCELY FAIR TO

SUGGEST THAT HE HAS GONE BACK ON A POLICY ALREADY AGREED.

3. THERE IS CERTAINLY ROOM FOR ARGUMENT, AS THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF HAS CONCEDED, ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THE SECURITY RISKS INVOLVED IN ANY PARTICULAR RELEASE. BUT AS HE HAS INDICATED IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 2038 THERE WERE SPECIAL REASONS WHY IT WAS DECIDED TO RENEW THE DETENTION OF NUMBER 3. LIKEWISE IT WAS DECIDED AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO DEFER THE RELEASE OF THE TWO FILM STARS UNTIL THE PERIOD OF NATIONAL DAYS' CELE- BRATIONS BECAUSE OF THE COMMOTION WHICH MIGHT BE CAUSED AT AN ALREADY DIFFICULT TIME BY THE RELEASE OF PERSONS ENJOYING WIDE PERSONAL POPULARITY. IN MATTERS OF THIS SORT AND INDEED IN SECURITY QUESTIONS AS A WHOLE YOU WILL I AM SURE AGREE THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO PLAY THE HAND ANYWHERE BUT IN HONG KONG. IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT WE DECIDED NOT TO ASK THE GOVERNOR TO RE- CONSIDER HIS DECISION NOT TO RELEASE ANY MORE DETAINEES UNTIL AFTER

THE HOLIDAY.

4.

WE SEE SOME FORCE, HOWEVER, IN THE POINTS YOU MAKE ABOUT SECURITY IN RELATION TO CURRENT CHINESE POLICY, AND ABOUT PUBLIC OPINION AND PROPAGANDA. WE SHALL WISH TO DISCUSS THESE VERY FULLY

COURSE OF CONSULTATIONS IN THE WEEK

WITH THE GOVERNOR IN THE

LAST

RCF.

NEXT

RF

8-0 872

CONFIDENTIAL

/BEGINNING