Mr. James Murray
CONFIDENTIAL
Dr. Gammara Ռ.
129
Mr
•
Grey
Lord Shepherd spoke to me about Peking telegram
no. 3 today.
2.
I said that the Department had been giving consideration
to the issues raised by the NCNA statement before we had
received Mr. Cradock's comments and that you had in fact
made a submission on the subject on 3 January;
a copy of this
was with his Private Secretary, but I would not be submitting
it until we had re-examined the situation in the light of
Peking telegram no. 3 and the Governor of Hong Kong's
assessment. Lord Shepherd was content with this and said
that thereafter he would like a discussion with the Department.
3.
Lord Shepherd endorsed the line to be taken by
News Department proposed in your submission of 3 January
if asked about the possibility of a bargain involving the
release of the news workers, namely that they say
unattributably that any interference with the normal process
of law in response to Chinese pressure would raise very grave
issues for the future.
4.
Lord Shepherd wondered whether we were doing as
much as we should to damp down publicity.
5.
Lord Shepherd agreed to go ahead with the arrangements
for his interview with the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires on
Thursday, the 9th.
(J. O. Moreton) 6 January 1969.
Sir A. Galsworthy
Mr. Baker
Hong Kong Department
Copies to:
Sir J. Johnston
11
Private Secretary
Mr. Godden
ALGTEN DES CLAD
i
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