TNAG-0113-FCO40-149-Detainees-and-prisoners-following-19671968-disturbances-1969 — Page 171

SECRET

BACKGROUND

3.

On 28 December the New China News Agency in Peking

published a report openly linking Mr. Grey with the

communist news workers (then thirteen, now eleven) serving

prison sentences in Hong Kong. The report said that

"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 Mr. Grey's freedom of movement". Shortly there-

after the Chinese resumed their covert contacts with the

Hong Kong Government about Mr. Grey, describing the N.C.N.A.

statement as "the proposed swap for Grey" and indicating

that they expected a reply to their "proposal". Ministers

here concluded that the release of the news workers in Hong

Kong itself raised such difficulties as to be highly

undesirable.

However it was decided that we should,

through the covert channel, repeat an earlier offer to the

effect that we would be ready to release the news workers

to China for the remainder of their sentences in return

for Mr. Grey.

4. Our offer has been discussed by Mr. Cater, the Hong

Kong representative, with his Chinese contact in a series

of meetings beginning on 27 January. In messages which

the contact has said he was relaying from Peking, the

Chinese have insisted on release in Hong Kong. We have

had a virtual admission that they would be unable to

persuade the news workers to return voluntarily to the

/mainland.

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SPORET