COMPIDSTIAL
The Problen of the Eleventh News Worker
3. I fear that this brings me to the conclusion that there
may be nothing, short of conceding a highly damaging outright
victory to the Communists over this issue, that we can do
until September of this year. In Beptember, as you know, ten
of the eleven remaining newsworkere will be due for release
(with remission of sentence) in the normal way, We should
have in the meantime to consider what to do about the eleventh
man, who would not normally be due for release until February,
1971.
Grey has still not boen released by this
September I should very much hope that we shall find a way
to effect the release of the eleventh man at that time simul-
taneously with the other ten
a hypothetical situation.
I should underline that this le
While I am confident that we shall
find a way I should not wish you to take this comment ag a
formal commitment.
I should also like to omphasise that it
is made in the strictest confidence.
Mr. Groy's letter of 7 January
We must take account of Mr. Grey's health and his etato
of mind. His letter of 7 January to his mother, which was
shown to us by Mr. Horton of Reuters, suggests that while
he is understandably bitter about his long detention, his
general balance remains unimpaired. This is something which
mut be kept constantly under review on the meagre evidence at
our disposal. Meanwhile I have been encouraged by the fact
that our new Charge d'Affaires in Peking, Mr. Denson, was told
at hio initial interview with the West European Dep. Itment of
CONFIDENTIAL
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