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4 THE VISITS TO PRISONERS BY N.C.N.A. OFFICIAL
OFFICIALSWERE, NOT UNEX‹-
APECTEDLY, HAILED BY COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA AS A 'VICTORY'
ACHIEVED THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN UK GOVERMENT AND THE CPG.
AND WERE FOLLOWED BY RENEWED DEMANDS FOR THE RELEASE OF
COMMUNISTS SERVING PRISON SENTENCES AND DETAINED UNDER THE EMERGENCY
REGULATIONS. THE LINE ADOPTED ABOUT THIS IN THE COMMUNIST
PRESS AND BY 'DELEGATIONS' INDICATES THAT INCREASING PRESSURE ON
GOVERNMENT ON THE ISSUE CAN NOW BE EXPECTED. THE REJECTION OF
POLICE SUPERVISION ORDERS BY EX-PRISONERS AND THE STORM OF
CRITICISM IN THE COMMUNIST PRESS, ARE INDICATIONS THAT DEFIANCE
OF FUTURE ORDERS WILL PROBABLY BECOME GENERAL, WITH THE PRISONERS
CONCERNED GOING INTO HIDING. BREACH OF SUPERVISION ORDERS DOES,
OF COURSE, RENDER THEM LIABLE TO RE-ARREST AND FURTHER SENTENCES
BY THE COURTS.
5. THE REPORT BY A TRAVELLER CONCERNING THE PEKING DIRECTIVE
TO RESIDENTS IN THE BORDER AREA IS, IF TRUE, OF CONSIDERABLE
SIGNIFICANCE AND COULD BE FURTHER CONFIRMATION OF INTELLIGENCE
RECEIVED EARLIER FROM RELIABLE SOURCES THAT THE CPG DESIRE TO
LOWER TENSION, NOT ONLY ON THE BORDER, BUT ALSO IN HONG
KONG ITSELF. THIS POLICY NOW, IT SEEMS, IS PERMEATING DOWN TO
'GRASS ROOTS' LEVEL ON THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE BORDER.
FO PLEASE PASS ROUTINE PEKING AS MYTEL 168, WASHINGTON
AS MYTEL 47 AND HC CANBERRA AS MYTEL 33. :
SIR D.TRENCH
FILES
REPETITION TO PEKING REFERRED FOR DEPARTMENTAL DECISION, REPEATED AS REQUESTED TO OTHER POSTS]
[PASSED TO CABINET OFFICE]
C.O. HONG KONG DEPT
F.O. F.E.D.
88886
I. & G.D.
F.E.P.D.
SIR A. GALSWORTHY
MR. MASON
P.S. TO LORD SHEPHERD
MR, WILKINSON
O.L.A. O.P.A.
J.I.R.D.
J.I.P.G.D.
GAL 2
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
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