EN CLAIR
IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO PEKING
TELNO 179
20 MAY, 1969 (FE)
UNCLASSIFIED
(240)
ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NUMBER 179 OF 20 MAY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG WASHINGTON POLAD SINGAPORE BANGKOK (FOR GODDEN).
CALL OF CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES.
THE CHINESE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, MA, WAS SUMMONED ON 19TH BY MORETON TO
DISCUSS CASES OF BRITISH SUBJECTS DETAINED IN CHINA. THE MEETING
LASTED ABOUT AN HOUR.
2. MORETON BEGAN BY EXPRESSING SATISFACTION THAT
HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO LEAVE CHINA BUT
REMINDED MA THAT WE WERE STILL AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THE CHINESE
TO A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS CONCERNING BRITISH SUBJECTS RAISED BY LORD SHEPHERD WITH THE FORMER CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, SHEN PING, ON 9 JANUARY (MY TELEGRAM NO 16 OF 10 JANUARY).
3. IN DISCUSSING INDIVIDUAL CASES, MORETON MADE THE FOLLOWING
POINTS:
(A) HE PROTESTED AT THE LONG PERIOD OF INVESTIGATION WITHOUT
BENEFIT OF CONSULAR ACCESS IN THE CASES OF
SHOULD BE GRANTED, (B)
AND REQUESTED THAT ACCESS
THE CASE OF BARRYMAINE WAS SPELLED OUT IN SOME DETAIL AND
THE CHINESE REQUESTED TO GIVE THIS SPECIAL CONSIDERATION ON
HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS IN VIEW OF HIS AGE AND HISTORY OF ILL HEALTH.
(C) INFORMATION WAS REQUESTED ON THE CASES OF
D
CONSULAR ACCESS WAS REQUESTED IN THE CASE OF WATT:
(E) AS REGARDS THE GREY CASE, MORETON STRESSED IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS THE IMPORTANCE WHICH WE ATTACH TO HIS EARLY RELEASE.
4. IN REPLY MA SPOKE ON FAMILIAR LINES ON THE GENERAL QUESTION
OF SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS. HE ARGUED THAT THE DETERIORATION OF
RELATIONS WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. THE
CHINESE WERE WILLING TO IMPROVE RELATIONS AND HAD TAKEN QUITE A FEW
MEASURES. HE ADDED THAT THE CONTINUED DETENTION OF THE ELEVEN
NEWSWORKERS AND OVER 200 OTHER QUOTE PATRIOTIC CHINESE UNQUOTE
BY THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WAS UNJUSTIFIABLE AND CALLED FOR
THEIR RELEASE. TURNING TO THE CASE OF GREY, HE SAID MORE
REF.
24
/SPECIFICALLY
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.