TNAG-0033-FCO40-69-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 68

CONFIDENTIAL

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166)

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825A

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(826)

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Background

3. The background is in my submission of 7 August.

detainees now number about 40.

The

In Peking telegram No. 851, Mr. Cradock complained that

only 5 detainees had been released since 12 August. He

suggested therefore that we were not making concessions

adequate to match the Chinese grant of all outstanding exit

visas to members of our Mission in Peking. The Governor

pointed out in Hong Kong telegram No. 1084 of 17 September

that in fact 7 releases had been made but indicated that he

was reluctant to release more than one or two until after the

National Day celebrations on 1 and 10 October. Mr. Cradock

røturned to the charge strongly in Peking telegram No. 871

82 pointing out that what the Governor had done was scarcely

"the larger gesture involving a minumum of ten persons" which

we originally suggested should be made if the Chinese honoured

their undertaking and granted all the outstanding exit visas.

Argument

5. In fact the Governor never specifically agreed to make

"the larger gesture", but said merely that he would match the

trickle of exit visas with a trickle of releases of detainees

subject to examination of the circumstances in each case and

without aiming at arithmetical equality (Hong Kong telegram

No. 1005). I suspect that at heart he dislikes making these 782) concessions at all and that he will try to keep them at a

minimum. It is hard, however, to contest the arguments first

/ put forward

CONFIDENTIAL