282
CYPHER/CAT A IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 620
SECRET
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
14 OCTOBER 1969
SECRET
ADDRESSED TO FCO TELNO. 620 OF 14 OCTOBER REPEATED FOR INFORMATION
ROUTINE HONG KONG.
HONG KONG TELNO. 811 TO FCO.
AS FORESHADOWED IN MY TELNO. 440 THE RELEASE OF GREY HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY THAT OF ANOTHER BRITISH SUBJECT. BARIBMAINE WOULD APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN THE LOGICAL CHOICE AS HE IS ALSO A JOURNALIST HE IS OLD AND IN INDIFFERENT HEALTH, OTHER CASES MAY PRESENT MORE DIFFICULTY FOR THE CHINESE, BUT IN MY VIEW IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE MAY BE A DISPOSITION AMONG AT ANY RATE SOME OF THE LEADER-
SHIP HERE TO GET RID OF SOME OUTSTANDING CASES (THE TONE OF CHOU EN-LAI'S REMARKS TO ME ABOUT GREY (MY TELNO. 599) MAY BE A STRAW IN THE WIND). THERE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE ADVERSE PUBLICITY AS A RESULT OF ARTICLES WRITTEN BY GREY AND BARRYMAINE AND THE CHINESE
MIGHT SEE ADVANTAGE IN ALLOWING OTHER CASES TO BREAK AT THE SAME
TIME.
2. IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER FOR THIS TO BE JUSTIFIED TO MILITANTS
IN HONG KONG IF THERE ARE FEW SERIOUS GRIEVANCES WHICH THEY CAN
CLAIM. IF HOWEVER THERE IS A PERCEPTIBLE HARDENING OF POLICY FOLLOWING GREY'S RELEASE, FOR EXAMPLE BY THE PURSUANCE OF THE CASES AGAINST PERSONS FOR WHOM WARRANTS WERE ISSUED IN 1967,
2 THE ARREST OF FURTHER ILLEGAL TRADE UNION OFFICIALS AND SO ON, IT WILL BE REGARDED BY THE CHINESE AS RUNNING COUNTER TO THE
SECRET
/PRESENT
RECEIVED IN GARY No. 51
E CUT 1969
HKKI/12
2.83
..tf.
289)
See (13) (154 нки. 14/37
on
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