TNAG-0113-FCO40-149-Detainees-and-prisoners-following-19671968-disturbances-1969 — Page 53

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handling of the Grey case, possibly with the Chinese but

almost certainly with sectors of the public here.

(a) The Chinese are bound to be impressed by our willingness

to bend the law in respoet of the Krogers and,

particularly in the sour climate of Sino-Soviet

relations, to contrast it with what has been said to

them about the impossibility of prematurely releasing

convicted prisoners in Hong Kong. This may well lead

to further pressure by them in the matter of the whole

problem of convicted "confrontation" prisoners in Hong

Kong, and possibly even to attempts to strike bargaine

for other British subjects now in detention in China.

We must accept that there is some risk that they might

put up their price for Mr. Grey to include convicted

prisoners other than the newaworkers. But I personally

doubt if they will do so in view of the firmness with

which they have established the link between Mr. Grey and

the newsworkers. (In any case, all this is perhaps

rather a possible argument for firmness and delay in the

Brooke case rather than for immediate concessions in the

Grey case.)

(b) Those in this country directly involved in the Grey case

(i.e. Reuters, certain sections of the press and the Grey

family) may press the more strongly for an early bargain

with the Chinese. But I am by no means certain that

public opinion generally would come to the conclusion that

because we had in very special circumstances made

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