Flag
268/6/1
He
he would simply repeat the arguments in his telegram. might well add that so far from increasing the prospects of Mr. Grey's release the gesture might only encourage the
Chinese to believe that they had us on the run, and to stick
out for further concessions, notably the remission of sentences
of other convictel prisoners in Hong Kong, before they would
release Mr. Grey. There is also the argument to which
Mr. Carter, with whom I discussed the matter before he went
on holiday, attached importance that since we have stood
out so long on the principle that the due processes of law
should be observed, it would be undesirable to breach that
principle for a gain of a matter of weeks.
11.
Moreover I think that if we were to re-open the question with the Governor he might see in this the dangerous lack of resolution on our part which he fears and which his telegram
No. 444 was clearly intended to forestall. This would be a
bad preparation for the difficult period which may well lie ahead both for hin and for us if the Chinese, on the assumption
that they release Mr. Grey in October, thereafter demand the
premature release of other convicted prisoners in Hong Kong
as a price for other British subjects detained in China.
12. Nevertheless if I were firmly convinced that a gesture to the Chinese in the next three weeks was right I would recommend that its advantages be put squarely before the Governor and that he be reminded that anything which might pre-dispose the Chinese to be less intransigent over other
4
6
CONFIDENTIAL
B
•
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.