TNAG-0034-FCO40-70-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 11

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RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No.31

9-OCT 1968

HWB 3/2.

CYPHER/CAT A

FREGNITY COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TO BONG KONG

TELESRAM NUMBER 1525

7 OCTOBER 1969

(F.E.D.)

867

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ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO 1505 OF 7 OCTOBER REPEATED FOR

INFORMATION TO PEKING AND POLAD SINGAPORE.

(845 1/5 Annex)

(851 T/s Annex)

YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 2431 AND PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 936 - GREY,

WE AGREE THAT THERE IS NO PROSPECT OF PROGRESS TOWARDS GREY'S

RELEASE BY BARGAINING THROUGH CONTACT AND THAT THE RISKS OF PERSIST-

ING IN THE ATTEMPT 10 NEGOTIATE AN EXCHANGE IN THIS WAY WOULD ROT

DE JUSTIFIED. THIS IS INDEED A SETBACK IN OUR EFFORTS TO HELP GREY,

BUT WE AGREE THAT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES YOUR INSTRUCTIONS TO CATER ( PARA 2 OF YOUR TEL UNDER REFERENCE) WERE WHOLLY APPROPRIATE.

2. WITH REGARD TO OTHER POSSIBLE METHODS OF MAKING PROGRESS, WE SHARE THE VIEW THAT THE ELEMENTS OUTLINED IN PARA. 5. OF PEKING

TEL. NO. 906 ARE PROSARLY ALL RELEVANT IN A GENERAL WAY TO THE RELEASE OF GREY. BUT THEIR APPLICATION IS A MATTER OF JUDGEMENT

AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME. OUR VIEWS ON PROBLEMS OF PUBLICITY AND

DETAINEES ARE SET OUT IN OTHER TELEGRAMS, AS REGARDS HSUCH, THERE CEEMS TO BE A MEASURE OF AGREEMENT THAT THERE IS LITTLE TO BE ACHIE~

VED BY HIS PREMATURE RELEASE ON ITS OWN. AS OBSERVED IN PEKING TEL. NO. 206 HIS VALUE 19 A POTENTIAL CONCESSION HAS DECREASED WITH TIME AND MUST NOW PE SLIGHT. TO GO OUTSIDE 1PE NORMAL PROCESSES OF

LAW WITH ONLY A NEGLIGIBLE CHANCE OF ITS PAYING DIVIDENDS SEEMS

POINTLESS.

3

3. IT IS STILL CUR VIEN THAT PLLY THE MOVE MOST LIKELY TO PACHET THE EARLY RELEASE OF CREY IS THE PREKATURE RELEASE OF BOTH HOVEN AND LO. BUT WE REALISE TULLY THE DIFFICULTIES OF JUSTIFYING SUCH A MOVE

/IN HONG KONG

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