CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 344
CONFIDENTIAL. 153938Z.
ss
TO PEKING
15 OCTOBER 1970
64
TOP COPY
ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELEGRAM NO.344 OF 15 OCTOBER REPEATED FOR
INFORMATION TO HONG KONG SEOUL WASHINGTON.
HONG KONG TELNO.704 : SICK CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.
SIR STANLEY TOMLINSON SUMMONED MA ON 14 OCTOBER AND SPOKE ON THE LINES OF THE TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE. HE SAID THAT WE HOPED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD ACCEPT THE RELEASES AS AN IMPORTANT POSITIVE
STEP IN THE FURTHER IMPROVEMENT OF OUR RELATIONS. HE STRESSED THE CONCERN IN THIS COUNTRY OVER THE DETAINED BRITISH SUBJECTS, AND SAID THAT WE VERY MUCH HOPED THAT THE RELEASES WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY THE EARLY RELEASE OF BRITISH SUBJECTS, PARTICULARLY CROUCH AND JOHNSTON.
2. IN REPLY MA SAID THAT HE WELCOMED THIS STEP, BUT 4 OUT OF 80 WAS A VERY SMALL NUMBER. HE WENT ON TO MAKE THE USUAL POINTS ABOUT THE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE REMAINING PRISONERS. THIS IS THE KIND OF GRUDGING INITIAL REACTION WHICH WE HAD EXPECTED, AND IS NOT NECE- SSARILY AN INDICATION OF WHAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S MORE CONSIDER-
ED VIEW WILL BE.
3. MA ALSO RAISED THE QUESTION OF DIFFICULTIES WHICH THEY HAD ENCOUNTERED OVER THE DEMOLITION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THEIR PREMISES
IN LONDON. TOMLINSON UNDERTOOK TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER. FULL RECORD
FOLLOWED BY BAG.
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