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FILE No.
FC 13/8
SECRET
RART
Freet.
B (101)
LII
171
стру
also on FDI3
FD13/890
CONFIDENTIAL
Cypher/Cat A
TURITY CEKING
TO
Tølno 356
FOREIGN OFFICE
27 April 1968
RECEIVED IN, ARCHIVES No.81
29 APR 1960
F41318
173
CUFIDENTIAL
Adaressed to Foreign orrice telegram No. 556 of 26 April, Repeated for
ini ormation to Hong Kong.
Ly telegram No. 540: Grey.
It would be useful for me in discussing improvements in Grey's
conditions with the Chinese to know from Hong kong the following
additional points about treatment of Communist prisoners there:
(a) How many of these prisoners are there to a cell?
(0) How much contact do they have with other prisoners? nat
opportunities do tney have for conversation?
(c) Woulu Hong Kong confim that there are still none in
solitary confinement?
(d) How frequently are they allowed to use prison library?
(e) Do they receive unlimited supplies or books and periodicals? (r) In
practice how long do the regular monthly visits last?
(g) Are they allowed to receive messages from outside, passed
on by prison authorities?
(h) Are they allowed cards or other forms of recreation? Do
they have any access to the rauio?
(1) Do they have access to officials to discuss their treatment
in prison anu to put forward complaints?
2. There is another point which I think it would be tactically useful to
take up with the chinese in any discussions on treatment of Grey. The
.r.A. statement of 21 July merely states that the Chinese Government had
decided to restrict is freedom of movement: "ne must not leave his
residence at will and must await furtner notice". But without informing
us of any official decision to do so, the chinese nave made nis regime
far more rigorous than the sta lement suggests. He is not allowed free
use of nis residence for which he still pays full rent, nor is ne
allowed use of all his possessions in the house. His telephone which he
was able to use for the first month was cut off in August. His present
treatment is inconsistent with the only official Chinese statement which
we have had on his confinement and notably worse than that no received
during the first weeks of nis detention.
CONFITIAL
/ Foreign
CONFIDENTIAL
- 2
Foreign Ofiice pass Priority lion,. Kong 253.
Sir D. Hopson
[Repeated as requested]
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F.0.
F.1.D.
Consular Dept.
Defence Dept.
P.U.S.D.
I.K.D.
News Dept.
C.0.
H.K. Dept.
I. & G.Dept.
S.A.D.
NANAN
F.. & P.D.
News Dept.
CONFIDENTI AL
Y
Copy also an FD13/8
CYPHER/EAT A
CAT
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 536
(74)
CONFIDANTIAL
TOP COPY
. RECEIVED IN
TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
27 APRIL 1968
J
ARCHIVES No.31
29 APR 1968
CONÉ PENTIAL.
ADDRESSED CO AS MY TELEGRAM NO. 536 DATED 27TH APRIL RFI PEKING."
PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 348 TO FOREIGN OFFICE : GREY.
171
WHILE I NATURAL' Y DO NOT WANT TO MAKE IT ANY HARDER FOR HOPSON TO
OBTAIN MORE REGULAR ACCESS TO GREY, I AM MOST RELUCTANT TO START
ANOTHER ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH NCNA FOR FURTHER 'SPECIAL VISITS'.
A SECOND VISIT SO SOON WOULD TEND TO CONSOLIDATE NCNA'S 'SPECIAL
POSITION' HERE, AND PAY PROPAGANDA DIVIDENDS TO THE COMMUNISTS.
MOREOVER, THE CHINESE MIGHT WELL RAISE THE PRICE OF A FURTHER VISIT
TO GREY AND A SECOND NCNA VISIT COULD ENCOURAGE THE CHINESE TO
INCREASE THEIR USE OF GREY AS A BARGAINING COUNTER. WHILE THE
PREVIOUS VISITS WERE REASONABLY WELL ACCEPTED BY PUBLIC OPINION HERE,
THEIR EARLY REPETITION COULD WELL HAVE A MORE ADVERSE EFFECT.
2. A BASIC POINT, HOWEVER, WHICH MIGHT BE USED TO HELP GREY IS THE
FACT THAT ALL COMMUNIST PRISONERS HAVE HITHERTO ENJOYED THE
'PRIVILEGE OF REGULAR MONTHLY VISITS FROM FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.
COULD WE NOT ASK, AS A MATTER OF RECIPROCITY, FOR MONTHLY NON-
OFFICIAL VISITS TO GREY, E.G. BY NON-DIPLOMATIC STAFF FROM THE
MISSION WHO ARE AMONG HIS FRIENDS? IN ASKING FOR THESE IT MIGHT BE
WORTH MAKING IT CLEAR THAT IN HONG KONG SUCH VISITS ARE GRANTED
AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS AS PRIVILEGES TO
WELL-BEHAVED PRISONERS WHO ABIDE BY PRISON REGULATIONS ON SUCH
MATTERS AS DAILY WORK (WHICH SEVERAL HUNDRED OF THE COMMUNISTS DO
NOT).
3. WITH REFERENCE TO PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE,
ON THE WHOLE WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT BETTER, IF POSSIBLE, FOR
HOPSON TO AVOID DISCUSSIONS ON THE DETAILS OF NONA COMPLAINTS ABOUT
PRISON CONDITIONS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THIS COULD LEAD TO AN INDEFINITE
CONTROVERSY.
4. ON OTHER POINTS, THE FOLLOWING ARGUMENTS COULD BE USED:-
(A) LETTERS: PRISONERS IN HONG KONG ARE ALLOWED TO SEND ONE LETTER
SUKI DENTAL
A LONTH
8
+
CONFILER/Lni
-2-
A MONTH, AND REQUESTS FOR SPECIAL LETTERS ARE NORMALLY ALLOWED. THERE
IS NO LIMIT ON INCOMING LETTERS.
(B) <B> BOOKS: IN ADDITION TO HAVING FREE ACCESS TO THE PRISON LIBRARY,
COMMUNIST PRISONERS HERE HAVE RECEIVED BOOKS SENT TO THEM BY FRIENDS
AND RELATIVES. BUT THIS IS A MATTER ON WHICH IT WOULD BE NECESSARY
TO TREAD CAREFULLY, FOR THE CHINESE WILL CERTAINLY SEEK TO MAKE AN
ISSUE OF OUR REFUSAL TO ALLOW MAO'S THOUGHTS TO BE GIVEN TO
PRISONERS.
5. IF ALL ELSE FAILS, WE MAY HAVE TO CONSIDER A FURTHER ROUND OF
'SPECIAL' VISITS HERE. BUT WE WOULD PREFER TO EXHAUST OTHER LINES
OF APPROACH FIRST.
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE PLEASE FASS IMMEDIATE TO PERING 193.
SIN D. TRENCH
[REPLITION TO PENING REFERRED FOR LEPARTMENTAL
DECISION).
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F.O. F.E.D.
C.U.
H.K.D.
C.O.
1. & G.D.
F.0.
CONSULAR DEPT.
F.. & F.D.
S.A.D.
NEWS DEFT.
DEFENCE DET.
P.U.D.D.
I.K.D.
NEWS DRIT.
CUNYI LANTIAL
ADVANCE CUPIED SENT
-
巨に
L
From the Parliamentary
Under-Secretary
Jospa 27/4
Foreign Office
S.W.1
173
L
25 April, 1968.
You will by now have heard from Reuters that our Chargé d'Affaires in
Peking, Sir Donald Hopson, together with Mr. Weston, an official from
our Mission, was able to visit your son for twenty minutes on the
afternoon of 23 April. We have now had an account of the visit from Sir
Donald Hopson, and I am sure you will want to have details.
Your son had only been given half an hour's notice of the visit. He was
clearly delighted to have visitors. Sir Donald reports that there has
been no change in the physical appearance of your son and that he looks
quite well. He is in good health and has had only one stomach disorder
in the first three months for which he received medical attention at his
home.
Sir Donald read your son the message from yourself as well as those from
Mr. Long and the Reuters' staff. Sir Donald also told your son of the
constant efforts which have been made to see him and to obtain his
release. Your son does not have the use of a radio and was therefore
rather starved of news. The Chinese had not told him, for example, that
our office in Peking had been burned last August. Sir Donald did his
best
to bring him up to date on the news.
Your son said that he was now receiving normal food. He continues to
have the services of his domestic staff although he is not allowed
access to more than one room in his house. He takes exercise twice daily
in his courtyard for forty minutes each time. He is not free to use his
personal belongings from the upper part of the house, but he has
persuaded the guards to bring down a number of books and he also
received a parcel from our Mission in December which included books. He
is allowed
I
Mrs. Agnes Grey
The Wheel Inn,
SCONE.
Perth.
/to see
T
1
2
to see the weekly Peking Review (a publication put out by the Chinese in
English) and has also purchased English books put out by the Chinese
press.
Your son has been receiving a reasonable supply of letters. Those from
Miss McGuinn have been reaching him regularly and also some from his
friends in Peking. There may have been some interruption in the letters
from yourself. Your son said he had received only two in recent months,
but he said these had been greatly appreciated. He made a particular
point of asking that you should be informed that he is in good health,
and that you should be asked to write often. He has not yet tried
sending any letters out, but Sir Donald thought it might be worth a try
and encouraged him to do so.
Clearly the loneliness of his confinement must be acutely unpleasant for
your son. He has three guards in the house, none of whom will converse
with him in English. He has not been visited by other Chinese officials.
In these circumstances it is most impressive that he should have stood
the strain so well, and I should like to say how much I admire his
fortitude. It is a great relief to us all to know that he is in good
health and carrying on so bravely. We shall continue to explore every
means of bringing his ordeal to an end. The Mission have informed us
that
Mr.Weston will be writing to you privately giving details of the visit.
+
William Rodgers
WEB'L SI 743
1
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry 38 DRAFT Letter
No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Type 1 +
To:-
From
Top Secret
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified
PRIVACY MARKING
Mrs. Agnes Grey, The Wheel Inn, Scone Perth.
Mr. Rodgers
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
In Confidenc
You will by now have heard from Reuters
-and through the press that our Chargé d'Affaires
in Peking, Sir Donald Hopson, together with
Mr. Weston, an officer from our Mission, was
able to visit your son for twenty minutes on
the afternoon of 23 Apr11. We have now had an
dong account of the visit from Sir Donald
Hopson, and I am sure you will want to have
details.
Your son had only been given half an
hours notice of the visit. He was clearly
delighted to have visitors.
Sir Donald reports
that there has been no change in the physical
appearance of your son and that he looks quite
well. He is in good health and has had only
one stomach disorder in the first three months
for which he received medical attention at
hie home.
Sir Donald read your son the message from
yourself as well as those from Mr. Long and the
Reuters' staff. Sir Donald also told your son
of the constant efforts which have been made to
see him and to obtain his release.
Your son
does not have the use of a radio and was
therefore rather atarved of news. The Chinese
had not told him, for example, that our office
in Peking had been burned last August. Sir
Donald did his best to bring him up to date
on the news.
Your
173
Your son said that he was now receiving
normal food. He continues to have the services
of his domestic staff although he is not
allowed access to more than one room in his
house. He takes exercise twice daily in his
courtyard for forty minutes each time. He is
not free to use his personal belongings from
the upper part of the house, but he has
persuaded the guards to bring down a number of
books and he also received a parcel from our
Mission in December which included books. He
is allowed to see the weekly Peking Review (s
publication put out by the Chinese in English)
and has also purchased English books put out
by the Chinese press.
Your son has been receiving a reasonable
supply of letters. Those from Miss McGuinn
have been reaching him regularly and also some
from his friends in Peking. There may have
been some interruption in the letters from
yourself. Your son said he had received only
two in recent months, but he said these had
been greatly appreciated. He made a particular
point of asking that you should be informed
that he is in good health, and that you should
be asked to write often He has not yet tried
sending any letters out, but Sir Donald thought
it might be worth a try and encouraged him to
do 80.
Clearly the loneliness of his confinement
must be acutely unpleasant for your son. He
has three guards in the house none of whom will
converse with him in English. He has not been
visited by other Chinese officials. In these
circumstances it is most impressive that he
/should
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Dd. 32855 Ed (4200)
should have stood the strain so well, and I
should like to say how much I admire his
fortitude. It is a great relief to us all
to know that he is in good health and carrying
on so bravely. We shall continue to explore
every means of bringing his ordeal to an end.
The Mission have informed us that Mr. Weston
will be writing to you privately giving
details of the visit.
द
Jus w/
Mr. Samuel
Mr. Anthony Grey
RECEIVED IN JAL LIVES No.31
2 C APR 1968
Разра
172)
Sir Donald Hopson saw Mr. Grey in Peking on 23 April.
He has sent a long account of the visit (attached).
Since
2. The Mission have asked us to inform his mother that
Mr. Weston, who accompanied Sir Donald, will be writing
privately to her with details of the visit.
undertaken to do this.
Reuters have
3. This will however take time; and I think it might be
good if Mr. Rodgers were to write to Mrs. Grey now.
I attach a draft.
James Muay.
(James Murray) 24 April, 1968
Cypher/Cat A
PEKING
Teino 240
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO
FOREIGN OFFICE
RÉCEVED IN ARCHIVE: 5 No.3
25 APR 1968)
24 April 1968
F41318
171
168
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 348 or 24 April, Repeated for
information to Hong Kong.
My telegram No. 41: Grey.
visit to Grey showed that worst aspect of his condition is his
isolation. I therefore suggest our immediate errorts should concentrate
on securing improvements in this respect.
2. Clearly best thing would be if we could get Consular access on a
regular, say monthly basis. I therefore recommend that I snould ask
Chinese for another visit to Grey in May, pointing out that isolation he
suffers is very much worse than that or Communist prisoners in Hong Kong
who in any case enjoy privilege of regular montnly visits. I might refer
to and reout complaints from Lo Kue-po and NCNA Hong Kong on alleged
isolation or Communist prisoners and contrast their regime with complete
isolation in which Grey has been kept.
3. It is of course unlikely that we shall get what we want as easily as
that. I nope therefore I may at the same time be authorised if and when
Chinese turn down tnis request immediately to offer another round of
special visits to Communist newspaper workers in Hong Kong prisons in
return for a further visit to Grey. I might offer these visits on
similar conditions to last time.
4. I would also propose to ask that Grey should be allowed other
comforts such as more books and magazines and letters in and out. In
these respects also his condition is worse than that of Communist
prisoners. As a longer snot I would also ask for a gramopnone and
records, a wireless and a telephone.
5. I shall telegraph separately on the question of possible moves to
secure release of Grey.
Foreign Orfice pass Priority Hong Kong 246.
Sar D. hopson
[Repeated as requested]
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
F.O.
NDIKIM
F.3..
Consular Dept. News Dept. Defence Dept. P.U.S.D.
J.I.R.".
C.O. H.K.Dept.
I. & G. Dept. News Dept. S.A.D.
F.E. & P.D.
CONFIDENT LAL
9783), 85264), 1,200 pude. 1/67. F. & 5. Op.999-/167. 391958. 1,000 puh.
4/47. F. & S. G0.999/167.
INWARD TELEGRAM
Code or Code R
Cypher/OTP CAT A
FROM..
PEKING
Advanced - Consallesy
1
[Distribution
RECEIVED
ARCHIVES No.31
27 -APR 1968
Heading] +1308
(770)
DEFIce
TO FOREIGN OFFICE
345
D. 0425 hrs.
Si D. Hapsen
{Signature]
No.
[Date]
168
24 APRIL 1968 R0940hrs
[Priority]
Cox/idential
tel eallam
24
168
No 341.
Please tell GREY's
Mot Rod that WESTON will
DISTRIBUTION
ADVANCE
1
I
privately to het
with details o
visit
Files Teht 14
Consular Dept 3
F.ED
5
1-R129 1. Bates 3.ADR
Acht-R
I have indeed the Hatar of
Reenters to do them.
h
Поветрира
24
24/4
י
19:44.
Mr. Wilkinson
Mr. Merry
CONFIDENT IAL
$LIVED IN
AK HIVES No.31
25 APR 1968
F43/8
169
Plag
W .169
MR. ANTHONY GREY
Mr. Rodgers has recorded his puzzlement at remarks
about publicity made by Mr. Gerald Long in a conversation
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.