(b)
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that he is now allowed upstairs to his books.
Careful medical examination by Chinese doctors
in December appears to have relieved his mind
about his physical health; and his recent
letters to his mother, while critical of H.M.G.,
have been relatively cheerful and extremely
balanced.
Can we convince Parliament and the public that
our refusal to accept what is now generally
believed to be the Chinese price is justified?
Much must depend on Reuters. Mr. Long, the
General Manager, while fully sympathetic to our
difficulties in Hong Kong, has been pressing us
privately for the immediate release of the news
workers. But he has said that Reuters would not
wish to embarrass us by taking up this position
publicly. It is difficult to predict how public
opinion might move in coming weeks.
As we
approach September it should be easier to hold
the situation - provided that there is a reasonable
expectation that the affair will be settled by
September at the latest. (For this reason the
sooner the judicial process referred to in
paragraph 6 above is completed and it becomes
public knowledge that all eleven news workers will
be coming out in September, the better). Meantime
we are not without ammunition to meet public
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/criticism.
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