697
CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 729
TOP COPY
TO HONG KONG
28 OCTOBER 1970
(FE)
CONFIDENTIAL. 281540Z.
ADDRESSED TO HONG KONG TFLNO. 729 OF 28 OCTOBER REPEATED FOR
INFORMATION TO PEKING.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 704.
SS
THE RELEASE OF CROUCH HAS AMPLY JUSTIFIED THE GOVERNOR'S
DECISION TO RELEASE THE FOUR SICK PRISONERS. IF AFTER YOU HAVE
CONSIDERED THE FURTHER THREE CASES WHICH HE DID NOT HAVE TIME
TO REVIEW HIMSELF, YOU DECIDE RELEASE IS JUSTIFIED,, THIS MAY DO THE TRICK SO FAR AS JOHNSTON IS CONCERNED, SHALL AWAIT
YOUR DECISION ON THIS. IN THE MEANTIME AND PROVIDED THAT YOU
DECIDE THAT SOME OR ALL SHOULD BE RELEASED I HAVE BEEN CONSID-
ERING THE QUESTION OF TIMING. AS SEEN FROM HERE I THINK THAT
THERE WOULD BE ADVANTAGE IN MAINTAINING MOMENTUM. ARE YOU LIKELY
TO BE ABLE TO TAKE DECISIONS WHICH WOULD ENABLE SOME FURTHER
RELEASES TO TAKE PLACE BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK (7 NOVEMBER)? IT DOES NOT SEEM TO ME TO MATTER WHETHER ALL THREE ARE RELEASED
AT ONCE: TWO PREFERABLY, OR EVEN ONE, WOULD SERVE THE PURPOSE EQUALLY WELL. WE WOULD AGAIN INFORM THE CHINESE HERE IN ADVANCE
EXPRESSING OUR PARTICULAR CONCERN OVER JOHNSTON.
DOUGLAS HOME
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
P.E.D.
ACNG KONG DEPT.
NEVS DEPA.
P.U.C.D.
I.R.D. GIPD
+
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
U.N.D. 4 COPIES
CONFIDENTIAL
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