TOP
SECRET
88
HER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM HUMBER 1528
SECRET
TO HONG KONG
15 OCTOBER 1969 (HWB)
ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TELEGRAM HUMDER 1529 OF 15 OCTOBER
REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO POLAD SINGAPORE WASHINGTON, GREY.
876)
WE ARE SOMEWHAT CONCERNED AT THE INDICATION IN YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 2085 THAT THE CHINESE MISTAKENLY BELIEVE THAT 19 OCTOBER IS HSUEH'S REL- EASE DATE. IT WOULD BE MOST UNFORTUNATE IF THE CHINESE, HAVING TAKEN A DECISION OF PRINCIPLE TO RELEASE GREY IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, WERE TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS ON MISTAKEN BELIEF THAT HSUEH WAS DELIBERATELY BEING DETAINED BEYOND THE EARLIEST NORMAL DATE OF RELEASE.
2. WE HAVE ALREADY ACCEPTED THAT THE PREMATURE RELEASE OF HSUER SO SOON BEFORE THE DUE DATE WOULD HAVE LITTLE SIGNIFICANCE AS A GESTURE, BUT IN VIEW OF THE POSSIBILITIES OF MISUNDERSTANDING AND OF THE DESIRABILITY OF NOT PROLONGING GREY'S DETENTION EVEN BY A FEW WEEKS, WOULD IT IN PRACTICE BE POSSIBLE BY INCONSPICUOUS ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENT TO RELEASE HSUEN ON OR ABOUT 19 OCTOBER AND TO PRESENT THIS AS THE NORMAL DATE? THE COMMUNISTS APPEAR NOT TO BE AWARE OF THE CORRECT DATE AND, IF THIS IS THE CASE, IT SUGGESTS THAT IT IS NOT PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.
3. IF YOU CONSIDER THAT THIS COURSE IS NOT FEASIBLE WE HOPE THAT NCNA CAN BE INFORMED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE OF THE ACTUAL DATE OF RELEASE. IT COULD BE MADE CLEAR AT THE SAME TIME THAT IT WAS PROOF OF OUR READINESS TO SETTLE OUTSTANDING ISSUES THAT HSUEH WAS BEING RELEASED WITH FULL REMISSION EVEN THOUGH HIS INITIAL REFUSAL TO WORK DID NOT MERIT THIS,
LAST
CROSEC
REF.
FILES
F.0. F.E.D.
C.0.
H.K.DEPT.
O.P.A.
#..
P.A.D.
O.L.A.
F.E. & P.D.
876 884
GUIDANCE DEPT.
1.R.D.
NNNNN
SIR A. GALSWORTHY
MR. MASON
P.S. TO LORD SHEPHERD
SECRET
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.