TNAG-0033-FCO40-69-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 40

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be by Mr. Cradock, as a major instrument for "de-escalation"

On the other hand it can hardly fail to improve the

atmosphere and therefore should be pursued in so far as

security permits.

8.

Whatever our own assessment of the position we must in .

the last resort be very hesitant about asking the Governor

to go against his bettor judgement on matters concerning the

administration and security of the Colony. Confidence in

his judgement has been fortified by the fact that the policy

of patience coupled with firmness paid off last year. Seen

from Peking only there is much justification in what

Mr. Cradock says, though he is less than fair to the Hong

Kong Government in implying, for example, that they had not

made conscientious efforts to examine the individual cases

of detainees who might be released. There is clearly

nothing to be gained at this stage by pursuing the present

debate. We have accepted the Governor's view that no further

releases should be made before the turn of the month, and have

said that we wish to have a full discussion with him when he

returns to London. There will then be an opportunity to

examine more closely the various points made by Mr. Cradock,

Flag H(860)(In Hong Kong telegram No. 2051, which has just arrived, the

į

Governor reports that the detention order of only one of the

40 detainees formally expies before December; the need to

issue fresh detention orders is therefore not an immediate

problem and if all goes well it may not arise at 'all.)

/9. In the

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