TNAG-0114-FCO40-150-Detainees-and-prisoners-following-19671968-disturbances-1969 — Page 46

ف المادية

Hong Kong authorities are constantly forbearing

from taking action against the communist press despite

the frequent publication by the latter of material

which is seditious or otherwise unlawful.

(d) Expulsion of confrontation prisoners to China

This of course remains the ideal solution of the

question of "confrontation" prisoners in Hong Kong.

But unfortunately the Chinese have made it clear

repeatedly that they are not prepared to have prisoners

expelled from Hong Kong to China. There is no sign

that they will change their mind in the foreseeable

future.

(e) Public Confidence

}

We share the Governor's view that the maintenance of

public confidence in Hong Kong remains a paramount

consideration and that we must always leave ourselves

a margin for safety in this respect. The Governor may

well be right that we have gone as far as we can in the

interests of Ir. Grey (although it should be noted that

the only concessions that have been made in Mr. Grey's

interest have been limited to three rounds of "special

visits" to the newsworkers imprisoned in Hong Kong and

the arrangement, through the Board of Review, of a

reduction in the sentence of Wong Chak to bring his date

of release into line with that of the other ten newsworkers).

However, I am sure that what is really bothering the

Governor is the anxiety that once the case of Mr. Grey

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