TNAG-0034-FCO40-70-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 51

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was clearly tickled by this and rambled on at some length to the effect that it was a good thing that all "the old problems" had now been settled. This gave me an excellent opportunity to say that this was true expect, of course, the outstanding case of Anthony Grey, the Reuters corres- pondent. I then went on to say that I had been thinking the matter over recently: we were aware that Grey had not been well in recent weeks and in spite of considerable pressures had done our best to curb publicity on this rather emotional matter. Although clearly difficulties were involved, I wondered whether it would be possible to obtain Grey's release if, say, we were to consider releasing HSUEH Ping. Jay reacted very strongly to this and interrupted saying that this would be a very silly thing to do. I tried to continue my explanation but against the greatest of opposition: Jay continually butted in, saying finally this

On would be quite stupid of us to think in these terms. asking his reasons, he said without hesitation that it would be an open invitation to grab British people in China and to hold them as hostages in order to force our hand on other matters: that to show interest of this sort would clearly lead to demands for a great deal more than the release of Hsueh. In any event, Jay said, Hsueh was not the price that Peking wanted for Grey. When the opportunity arose I said that we had gained the impression in Peking that Grey had been placed under house detention as a reprisal for the arrest and imprisonment of Hsueh and that accordingly Grey Jay would not be released until HSUEH Ping was released. replied that this could well be the sort of answer which Peking might give in response to an enquiry from the Charge d'Affaires, but what else, he asked, could they have said? they had to have some logical reason for detaining Grey. It was Jay's understanding that Peking in fact were highly embarrassed by Grey's situation, and he believed that it was only a matter of time, and not a great deal of time, before

Having said this, he then the Chinese would release him.

referred to previous discussions I had had with him and reminded me that previously I had said that as the Judiciary and the Administration were quite separate it would not be possible to arrange the release of a convicted prisoner.

I was

I said that I was only too well aware of this and that, whilst clearly there would be difficulties involved, I was confident that I could persuade the Governor to release HSUEH Ping in these rather special circumstances and especially as HSÜEH Ping had already served over a year of his sentence: aware also that the Governor may have difficulty in dealing with the Chief Justice on this, but again in the circum- stances I thought that it would be possible here too to persuade him.

After further lengthy discussion on these lines, Jay said that he thought it quite disastrous for us to make an offer of this type. He thought that if anything were to be done at all on this, there should be no mention of my making an enquiry but that he should write to CHOU En Lai's secretary stating simply that, now that relations were so much better between Britain and China, it seemed a pity that there remained the one outstanding problem of Anthony Grey:

/contd..

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