TNAG-0111-FCO40-147-Detainees-and-prisoners-following-19671968-disturbances-1969 — Page 155

CONFIDENTIAL

ARGUMENT

3.

any interference with the normal processes of law

in response to Chinese pressurew would raise very

grave issues for the future.

The N.C.N.A. Statement

The N.C.N.A. report is the first official public statement

by the Chinese authorities on the Grey question since the

publication of a statement by the Information Department of the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 21 July, 1967 which gave as the

reason for Mr. Grey's detention the "persecution of patriotic

journalists" in Hong Kong. The purpose of the present statement

is to refute criticism of Chinese actions which have appeared

recently in the non-commünist press in many parts of the world

and to justify the continued detention of Mr. Grey now that all

the Chinese news workers referred to in the earlier statement

have been released. The statement rejected the charge that the

Chinese Government had "shifted its ground" and claimed that it

has all along followed a consistent line because "the Hong Kong

British authorities did not immediately release the eight

patriotic Chinese journalists. Instead, it went from bad to

worse and detained more patriotic Chinese journalists in

succession". It added "since the Hong Kong British authorities

continue to keep the thirteen patriotic Chinese journalists in

jail, the Chinese Government is fully justified in continuing

to restrict Grey's freedom of movement". The report attacked

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CONFIDENTIAL