TNAG-0109-FCO40-145-Detainees-and-prisoners-following-19671968-disturbances-1968 — Page 52

CYPHER/CAT A

CONFIDENTIAL

IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 952

CONFIDENTIAL.

TO PEKING

27 NOVEMBER 1962 (FE)

ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NUMBER 952 OF 27 NOVEMBER REPEATED

R INFORMATION TO HONG KONG AND RAWALPINDI (FOR MAITLAND SECRETARY OF STATE'S PARTY).

YOUR TELNO 1560: GREY,

IN VIEW OF THE REPOPT OF YOUR VISIT TO GREY WE AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD SEEK AN INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO PROTEST AT THE CONDITIONS OF HIS CONFINEMENT AND TO REQUEST IMPROVEMENTS.WE THINK YOU SHOULD TAKE THE

CPPORTUNITY TO REMIND THE CHINESE OF THEIR STATEMENT OF JULY 1967 AND TO DEMAND GREY'S RELEASE.

2. IN ADDITION TO REFERRING TO DELAYS IN HIS MAIL, THE UNSATISFACTORY LIVING CONDITIONS OF HIS HOUSE AND THE LACK OF READING MATERIAL WE AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD ASK FOR A THOROUGH MEDICAL EXAMINATION

OF GREY.

3. FOR THE PURPOSE OF YOUR INTERVIEW WE PRESUME THAT THE COMPARATIVE MATERIAL ON THE TREATMENT OF CHINESE NEWSWORKERS IN HONG KONG WHICH WAS TELEGRAPHED TO YOU FOLLOWING THE VISIT TO GREY IN APRIL (HONG KONG TELNOS. 536 OF 27 APRIL AND 540 OF 20 APRIL TO FOREIGN OFFICE REFER) 18 STILL VALID. NO DOUBT HONG KONG WILL BE ABLE TO ADD ANY FURTHER POINTS ARISING FROM THE REPORT OF YOUR LATEST VISIT WHICH SHOW OUR PRACTICES IN A FAVOURABLE LIGHT.

4. WE WERE INTENDING TO SUMMON SHEN PING TO SEE LORD SHEPHERD EARLY NEXT WEEK IN THE LIGHT OF THE CHINESE RESPONSE TO YOUR APPROACH. WE THINK TACTICALLY THAT IT WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE TO SEPARATE THE TWO SETS OF REPRESENTATIONS IN THIS WAY, THE REPORT OF YOUR VISIT TO GREY IS FEATURED PROVINENTLY IN ALL MAJOR BRITISH NEWSPAPERS TODAY (SEE M.I.F.T. FOR PRESS SUMMARY) AND AS A RESULT PARLIAMENTARY PRESSURE IS LIKELY TO BUILD UP OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

5. AFTER THIS DOUBLE APPROACH WITH ITS ATTENDANT PUBLICITY

WE THINK WE SHOULD AIR AT A PERIOD OF RELATIVE CALM IN THE HOPES THAT THIS MAY MAKE IT EASIER FOR CHINESE TO RELEASE GREY WITHOUT APPEARING TO DO SO UNDER PRESSURE,

6. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD TELEGRAPH REPORT ON YOUR INTERVIEW WITH THE MFA FOR RELEASE TO THE PRESS HERE.

STEWART

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NEWS DET.

CONFIDENTIAL