fco-21-144-letters-and-pqs-about-anthony-grey — Page 4

MR. ANTHONY ROYLE, M.P.

į RECEIVED IN

WES No.31

APR 1968

F2 13/13

F.ED

59

Mr. Royle has deferred his Parliamentary Question about

Mr. Anthony Grey until 18 March. He has agreed to Mr. Rodger's

suggestion that he discuss the case with me (at 4.30 p.m.

tomorrow), but he has stressed that he cannot consider himself

in any way tied, as a result of talking to me, regarding possible

After seeing me, he is to call on

action in the House.

Mr. Rodgers.

2. I attach a memorandum which sets out chronologically

under two headings the principal representations which we

have made to secure access to Mr. Grey and his release. I

propose to go through this with Mr. Royle and would see no

objection to giving him a copy. I should, however, be grateful

for your viewe.

3. If Mr. Royle's main aim is to help Mr. Grey, he may decide

again to postpone his Parliamentary Question or withdraw it

completely, provided he is satisfied that we are doing as much

as we can. We run the risk on the other hand that he will not

be satisfied, and will disclose information given in confidence

to the press.

This is a risk which I think we must take.

4. The Commonwealth Office have had considerable dealings

with Mr. Royle over Hong Kong and found him sympathetic and

co-operative. They have suggested that when Mr. Rodgers sees

him again, he may wish to make the point that since it is

clear that progress on Mr. Grey depends on a suitable quid

/pro

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

2-

pro quo in Hong Kong and not action in London, publicity

may cause pressure to mount for the kind of concessions in

Hong Kong which we could not safely make. If it seems

necessary the Commonwealth Office would be prepared to

recommend one of their Ministers to speak to Mr. Royle on

This line, the specifically Hong Kong aspects of the case.

to be effective, will depend on our having first convinced Mr. Royle
that punitive action against N.C.N.A. in London

would not be helpful. (Both the Hong Kong aspects and the

risks of punitive action against N.C.N.A. here will of

course be covered in the departmental briefing of Mr. Royle.)

Jan tenang

(James Murray) 12 karch, 1968

L

Алина

Re

帖

RESTRICTED

CONFIDENTIAL

MR. ANTHONY GREY OF REUTERS

REPRESENTATIONS TO THE CHINESE

On the day on which Mr. Grey was detained (21 July,

1967), Mr. Rodgers, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

at the Foreign Office, lodged a strong protest with the

Chinese Chargé d'Affaires in London, and demanded his immediate

release and immediate consular access. The protest was

rejected. ▲ parallel protest was made on 22 July by Mr. Hopson,

the British Chargé d'Affaires in Peking.

2. Since then a very large number of démarches have been

made to the Chinese about Mr. Grey. The principal ones are

summarised below under two headings:

3.

(a) Efforts to effect his release by means of an

exchange with New China News Agency journalists

in prison in Hong Kong;

(b) Efforts to obtain consular access to him in

return for additional visits by N.C.N.A. repre-

sentativea to N.C.N.A. and other communist

journalists` imprisoned in Hong Kong.

Not included in the list are details of telephonic

reminders from our mission in Peking to the Chinese Ministry

of Foreign Affairs that they were still awaiting replies

about Mr. Grey. (The mission would not in every case report

such reminders to London.) In general, however, it can be

said that on every occasion since his detention on which

official business has been transacted, the case of Mr. Grey

has been raised on our side.

CONFIDENTIAL

/4.

CONFIDENTIAL

2.

Efforts to negotiate Mr. Grey's Release

4.

31.8.67

In a letter to the Chinese Foreign Minister, Ch'en Yi,

the Foreign Secretary indicated that he might be able

to arrange the release to China of N.C.N.A. journalists

imprisoned in Hong Kong in exchange for the release

of Mr. Grey. No answer has been received.

31.12.67 The Chargé d'Affaires in Peking, Mr. (now Sir) D.

Hopson, on instructions made an informal suggestion

8.2.68

to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs that

Mr. Grey be exchanged for Hsueh P'ing, an N.C.N.A.

reporter imprisoned in Hong Kong -

Mr. Cradock, Counsellor at the Mission in Peking,

repeated on an official basis the offer to exchange

Mr. Grey for Hsueh P'ing-

1.3.68

Sir D. Hopson raised the proposed exchange again

with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The reply

5.

was that his suggestion had been noted but that

there was no news yet.

Efforts to Obtain Consular Access to Kr. Grey

29.7.67

Mr. Hopson's request of 22.7.67 for consular access

was refused by the Chinese on the grounds that no

formal visits by the N.C.N.A. had been allowed to

the three N.C.N.A. journaliste imprisoned in Hong

Kong. (Under prison regulations one visit per

month by relatives and friends was allowed to

prisoners under sentence and two a month to those

on remand.)

CONFIDENTIAL

/2.8.67

CONFIDENT IAL

- 3 -

2.8.67

19.8.67

Mr. Hopson informed the Chinese Ministry of

Foreign Affairs that special visits would be

allowed to N.C.N.A. journalists imprisoned in

Hong Kong as soon as access to Mr. Grey was

granted.

A member of the staff of the British Mission

was refused admission to Mr. Grey's house.

20.8.67 The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said

that the situation had changed since the offer

of 2.8.67 (presumably because of further arreste

and action against communist newspapers in Hong

Kong) and threatened further measures against

Grey unless the British (in Hong Kong) attitude

changed. On 22.8.67 the British Mission was burnt .7

30.9.67

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after being

informed that two N.C.N.A. officials had visited

Haush P'ing, failed to reply to repeated telephone

calls for consular access to Mr. Grey.

22.12.67 N.C.N.A. requested permission to send two officials

to visit N.C.N.A. and other communist reporters

and to deliver clothing and foodstuffs to them.

They were told that prison regulations require

that such visits be made only at the request of

the prisoner.

31.12.67 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that if the

request of 22.12.67 was met, they "might consider

CONFIDENT IAL

/allowing

CONFIDENTIAL

-

4

-

28.1.68

allowing the British Office to send personnel

to visit Gray".

was

Sir D. Hopson/informed by the Chinese Ministry

of Foreign Affairs that the Hong Kong authorities

must make formal arrangements for responsible

officials to visit N.C.N.A. correspondents and

other communist journalists at the Chinese New

Year; after satisfactory arrangements had been

made the Chinese "could consider arrangements

for an official British officer to visit Grey".

31.1.68 Mr. Cradock informed the Chinese Ministry of

Foreign Affairs that special visits by N.C.N.A.

representatives could be made to the N.C.N.A.

journalists in prison on 2 February on the clear

understanding that there would be immediate consular access to Mr. Grey.
(N.C.N.A. in Hong

Kong did not in the event accept the invitation to present themselves at
the prison.)

8.2.68

1.3.68

Mr. Cradock explained that it would be difficult

for us to issue entry visas to the United Kingdom

for N.C.N.A. about which the Chinese were pressing

us, unless something was done about Kr. Gray.

The Chinese said that the issue of visas was

irrelevant to Mr. Grey's case.

After further consultation with the Governor of

Hong Kong, Sir D. Hopson informed the Ministry

of Foreign Affairs that we would allow additional

/visite

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

- 5-

visits to N.C.N.A. and "patriotic journalists"

imprisoned in Hong Kong by their employer

accompanied by either another official of the

journalist's own newspaper or by a member of

N.C.N.A.; detailed arrangements should be made

between N.C.N.A. and the Hong Kong authorities.

8.3.68 Lọ Kuei-po, Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign

Affairs, informed Sir D. Hopson that N.C.N.A.

in Hong Kong had been notified of our proposals.

He awaited a report that satisfactory arrangements

for visits had been made. Only after receiving

it could he agree to a visit to Mr. Grey.

Far Eastern Department,

Foreign Office.

12 March, 1968.

CONFIDENTIAL

29.3.

Kr. Samuel

6

1.4.68

Kr. Haydon

RECEIVED IN [ARCH#V-5 No.31

4- APR 1968

FC13/13

58

Mr. Anthony Grey : Letter from Correspondente

Mr. Haydon has asked for advice on how to reply to a

letter from newspaper correspondents stationed in Prague

about the plight of Mr. Anthony Grey in Peking.

2. I agree generally with the line he suggests, though I have some
doubts about the advisability of asking for bright

ideas.

3.

I attach a draft.

James Mamang.

(James Murray) 29 March, 1968

Reference

Mr Anthony Gay

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(W58 daft eph from

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M. Hayden

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NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS

Acorn House, 314/320 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1 Telephone: 01-278 7916

IJO/G

William Rodgers Esq, MP,

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State,

Foreign Office,

Downing Street,

LONDON.

S.W.1.

RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES N. 31j

3- APR 1968

FC13/13

28th March 1968

Rec. and Ack, 29.3. ..FED:

nu

for cafu rey RECEIVED IN

Dear Mr. Rodgers,

#VES NG 31

1

Mr. Anthony Grey

You will recall that when Mr. Brown and yourself and colleagues were
kind enough to meet us on 21st February to discuss the plight of Mr.
Grey, Reuters' correspondent in Peking, it was agreed that we should
leave the matter for three or four weeks while an unnamed possibility
for securing his release was considered.

is.

passes.

We would be grateful if you could tell us what the present position As
you know our concern on his behalf is deep and it grows as time

·

Yours sincerely,

11

1 J. Bradley.

General Secretary.

General Secretary: H. J. Bradley Deputy General Secretary: T. D. Lucy

enter 21 MAY

4/4

7

Fa3/13

656

For draft eft.

25

Manolo

По делува Me Shearland

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Should be widen

Mr. Murray, Sefentemmate.

F.Ed.

MR. ANTHONY GREY

IMMEDIATE

RECEIVED IN ¡ARCHIVES N. 31

20 MAR 1968

F213713

+

I should be grateful for advice on how to reply to the attached letter
from newspaper correspondents stationed in Prague about the plight of
Mr. Anthony Grey in Peking.

2.

We could make one or two points.

First, we scarcely

need to draw the attention of the Secretary of State to Mr.

Anthony Grey's plight; he is only too well aware of it as

was his predecessor. Second, both Reuters and ourselves

have believed that it would probably not be in Mr. Grey's interest to
publicise his situation. Third, if any of

those who signed the letter have any bright ideas, we should

be delighted to hear them and would be glad if they would

write or call to tell us what they are.

copies to:

Private Office;

P.S. to Ir. Rodgers;

Kr. Howard Smith, Northern Dept.

Haydon)

25 March, 1968.

eaty

minedulely

ины

25/3

INTERHOTEL

Aleron

TELEF: 24 57 41-49, INTERURB. 24 57 45

PRAHA TELEGR. ALCRONOTEL - TELEX 414

200 APPARTEMENTS

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:obin Jayden req.

Head of News Department. -oreign office.

Downing St.

London......1.

Sir,

LAST

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168

17th.

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March 1968.

ደ። IVED IN

me, No 31

120 MAR 2008

FC13/13.

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the undeŝigned newspaper correspondents at present

in Prague, take this opportunity of strongly urging you to draw the
attention of the ecretary of State to the fate of our colleague, nr.
Anthony Grey, deuter correspondent in Peling, who has been in solitary
confinement under house arrest since summer 1967 and urging equally
strongly that some fresh di:lomatic initiative should be taken on his
account.

..e remain,

Yours etc.

на

Kenneth me. The conomist.)

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House of Commons

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537

Mr. Deason: Mr. Muray:

Reference

RECEIVED !

ARCHIVES No 31

Mr. Anthony Royle

Please see Mr. Royle's

6 play A

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He is to

1 5 MAR 1968

F213/13

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F213/13

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION

for ORAL answer on

FEJ

The draft reply should5*3

reach the Parliamentary Office through your Under-Secretary by

Noon on heads. 21/2

U Mr. Anthony Royle (Richmond, Surrey): To ask the

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, why he has failed to help
successfully Mr. Anthony Gray who has been detained incommunicado in his
house in Peking for seven months.

26th February, 1968

What

have been trying, for some months,

in a number of different ways, to

secure consular access to Mr. Grey as

a prelude to his release. These

attempts have so far failed because

the Chinese on their side ho.ve

remained totally unco-operative

shell continue my efforts until-

progress is maie.

f.".

Mr.Wilkinson

Parliamentary Office

P

RECEIVED ARCHIVES Ne

1 5 MAR 1968

F213/13

Parliamentary Question by Mr.Royle:

the Reuters' Correspondent in Peking

52

This is the fourth question Mr. Royle has asked

about Mr. Grey since 20 December. We know from

articles he wrote in the press during the Christmes

recess that Mr. Royle considers that the Foreign

Office has been dilatory about furthering Mr. Grey's

case and it can be expected that he will try to make

much of the fact that there has been no apparent

progress since his question of 20 December.

2. The difficulty is that if we mention in public

the fact that we have offered to exchange Mr. Grey

for the New China News Agency prisoner (or prisoners)

in Hong Kong, this will only lessen the changes of

such an exchange oeing achieved. We are therefore

forced to give the impression of having done less

than we have in fact tried to do. We are still

awiting a reply from the Chinese to the questions