personnel recently sentenced". (There are in fact now two
N.C.N.A. reporters in prison and also at least twelve journalists
from left-wing newspapers in Hong Kong.) No reply has been
received to the Secretary of State's letter nor have the Chinese
/themselves
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ра
L
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2
themselves made any attempt to refer to the question of an
exchange. Sir Donald Hopson has, however, put the suggestion
to the Chinese in specific terms on two recent occasions;
31 December and 7 February. We are still awaiting a reply to
the last of these approaches. Failing a straight exchange,
it may be possible as a preliminary step to exchange consular
access to Grey for N.C.N.A. visits to the journalists in Hong
Kong. We have been considering this last aspect with the
Governor of Hong Kong, and an approach to the Chinese Ministry
of Foreign Affairs should be made within the next forty-eight
hours.
3. Reuters too have been unflagging in their efforts to help
Mr. Grey both by attempts at direct contact with the Chinese
authorities and by enlisting the help of intermediaries, e.g.
the Pakistan authorities.
4.
Although we are reasonably certain (as a result of discreet
investigation by well-disposed foreign journalists in Peking)
that Mr. Grey is still in his own house and being looked after
by at least one of his Chinese servants, we have no direct
information about the state of his physical or mental health.
The latter is a particularly worrying point since he has now
been in what is in effect solitary confinement for six months.
However, Reuters' latest report, received very indirectly
through Hong Kong, suggests that he is in reasonable health
and that his actual living conditions are tolerable.
5. Our best hope of securing Mr. Grey's release is almost
certainly by arranging some form of exchange with journalists
imprisoned in Hong Kong. Up to now, however, it seems that
/the Chinese
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the Chinese have not made up their minds about how to deal
with Er. Grey and are possibly still trying to decide what
form of quid pro quo they can demand for his release.
6. We have so far tried to avoid giving publicity to
Mr. Grey's case in the belief that this would only hinder
the chances of reaching a settlement, and might even force
the Chinese to arrange a staged trial by accusing Mr. Grey
of "espionage". We know from Red Guard newspapers that his
Chinese driver has already been forced to face some sort of
public accusation meeting during which he was accused of
working for a series of Reuters "spies". While we are still
awaiting a reply to our latest suggestion that Mr. Grey should
be exchanged, there can be little doubt that publicity would
only be harmful. If, however, the Chinese reply when it comes
is unsatisfactory, there will probably be no alternative to
publicity.
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CALL OF MR. ANTHONY ROYLE, M.P. ON MR. RODGERS
MR. ANTHONY GREY
Talking Points
I am very glad to have this chance of talking to you
about Mr. Anthony Grey, whose detention in Peking is clearly
causing you a great deal of concern. I thought it would be
useful to tell you, in confidence, what we have been doing on
his behalf. As you know, he has now been under house arrest
since 23 July and, since 18 August, it has not even been possible
for our Mission in Peking to communicate with him by telephone.
We have reason to believe that Mr. Grey is still in his own
house and is looked after by at least one of his Chinese servants,
but we have no means of knowing the state of his physical and
mental health.
2. Our Mission in Peking, and we here, have made many efforts
to gain consular access to Mr. Grey and to secure his release.
None of these attempts has so far proved successful.
3. The Chinese made it clear at the time that Mr. Grey was
being arrested in retaliation for the arrest and imprisonment in Hong
Kong of a New China News Agency (N.C.N.A.) reporter
called Hsueh P'ing. Although the N.C.N.A. is an official organ
of the Chinese Government, Hsueh P'ing is not in fact a Chinese citizen
(except in the sense that the Chinese consider all those of Chinese race
to be Chinese citizens). His cap differs
entirely from Mr. Grey's. He was sentenced after trial in the
courts and since he has been in prison he has been receiving
regular monthly visits from his relatives and friends.
Mr. Grey
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on the other hand has not been tried (because there is
nothing to try him for) and has received no visits.
4.
It has always seemed likely to us that in the end the
best hope for Mr. Grey's release will be to arrange an
exchange between him and the NC.N.A. correspondent in Hong
Kong (or the two correspondents, since a further one was
arrested and imprisoned after Mr. Grey's arrest). I can
tell you in strict confidence that we have already made this
suggestion to the Chinese on several occasions. The most
recent was on 7 February on the occasion of discussions about
our Mission and British subjects in general. We have indicated
to the Chinese that we expect a response and we are now awaiting
it. Quite clearly any hopes of such an exchange are extremely
likely to be prejudiced if it becomes known publicly that such
suggestions have been made. I must therefore ask you for
Mr. Grey's sake to keep this information to yourself.
5.
Meantime we have had a very slight indication that the
Chinese may at long last be thinking about allowing us
consular access to Mr. Grey. This would be a start
what we want of course is his immediate release.
-
though
Up to
6. There remains the general question of publicity.
now we have considered that it would be easier to arrange for
Kr. Grey's release if there were no major public campaign
about his detention. Such a campaign could well stiffen the
Chinese attitude or even force them to stage an "espionage"
trial in order to justify their inhuman treatment of Mr. Grey.
/I think
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- 3-
I think these circumstances will still apply at least until
we have had some reply from the Chinese to our latest approach.
The Foreign Secretary has spoken to a delegation from the
National Union of Journalists about this, and they have agreed
to hold their fire for the time being. Reuters, too, have so
far avoided giving publicity to Mr. Grey's case except in the
form of a short factual statement following an article in the
Sunday Times. If eventually it seems that publicity is called
for, we should wish to consider the timing carefully in order
that the maximum effect could be achieved.
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Fer 3/13
Copies sent to:
H./PEKING
Chargé d'affaires
где Mr. Rodgers
P.U.S.
Sir D. Allen
Mr. Wilkinson
News Dept.
Consular Dept.
Planning Staff
F.E.D. to enter
W
4+1
Room 51 (2 copies)
Private Office,
26 February, 1968.
Private Secretary
CONFIDENT IAL
RECEIVED IN
[ARCINVES No.31 28 FEB 1968
F413/13
41
2332
DEPUTATION FROM THE COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL
UNION OF JOURNALISTS
I attach a draft record of the meeting between the
Secretary of State and a deputation from the Council of the
National Union of Journalists on 21 February, covering the
discussion about Mr. Anthony Grey.
2. Mr. Davidson was to produce a record of the discussion
about Greece.
Janu
Hunay
(James Kurray)
23 February, 1968
Copy to Mr. Davidson
pa. MAA
ра
CONFIDENTIAL
3
Mr. Denson
3.0
Noted
Notand
8 March
28
b.u. I week
M
2
(folio 37)
fa 7/3. MATA
20/2
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry 33 DRAFT F413/13
No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential,
Restricted. Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
To:-
In Confidence
CONFIDENTIAL
W.(41
Type I +
From
Telephone No, & Ext.
Department
RECORD OF MEETING BETWEEN THE FOREIGN SECRETARY
AND A DEPUTATION FROM THE COUNCIL OF THE
KATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS HELD AT THE
FOREIGN OFFICE ON WEDNESDAY, 21 FEBRUARY, 1968
AT 5.30 p.m.
Present:
The Rt. Hon. George
Brown, M.P.
Mr. H. J. Bradley
(General Secretary)
Mr. William Rodgers, MP Mr. K. H. Holmes
Mr. James Murray
Mr. A. 3. Davidson
(Vice President)
Mr. A. Lofts (former
President)
Kr. Anthony Grey, Reuters' Correspondent in
Peking.
The Deputation expressed the concern and
the sense of outrage among members of the
National Union of Journalists at the continuing
detention of Mr. Grey in Peking in what was in
effect solitary confinement. In view of their
appreciation of the difficulties and delicacies
of the situation the Council had so far
refrained from issuing any public statement or
protest. But they were asking themselves
whether the stage might not have been reached
when publicity was called for.
2. Mr. Brown said that he personally shared
the sense of outrage. He was grateful for the
restraint which the National Union had shown.
/We
CONFIDENTIAL
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
CONFIDENTIAL
- 2
We had all recognised that publicity was
unlikely to do Mr. Grey any good. There was
the risk that it would only serve to stiffen
the Chinese attitude, or even induce them to
stage an "espionage" trial to justify their
treatment of Mr. Grey.
3. Mr. Brown went on to outline some of the
steps he had taken to try to secure Mr. Grey1a
release. He told the deputation in the
strictest confidence that as early as last
August, in his letter to Ch'en Yi, he had
proposed an exchange of Mr. Grey for New China
News Agency journalists in prison in Hong Kong,
and that this suggestion had been repeated on
several occasione. There had been no reaction
to the offer. However the atmosphere in China
now seemed to be improving. The Cultural
Revolution was settling down. Chou En-lai
seemed to be playing an important role. If
the more moderate elements were in the ascendanc
in Peking, there was a better chance of a reply
to the letter to Ch'en Yi and some progress
over Mr. Grey. Mr. Brown added that he had
very recently had information which led him
to think that there was some small chance that
the Chinese might now be ready for an arrange-
ment over Mr. Grey. They might conceivably
be ready to grant us consular access to him,
which would be a start. He therefore asked
the Council of the National Union of Journaliste
to give him a further three or four weeks to
try to make progress. If thereafter there
was no progress, he accepted that there might
be no alternative to a publicity campaign;
/Indead
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3
←
indeed publicity would be forced on us.
The Deputation accepted this.
4. Mr. Brown went on to say that the timing
of statements about Mr. Grey, either by him-
self or by the Council, would be very
important. He suggested that he and
Mr. Bradley should discuss the question
further before any action about publicity
was taken. Kr. Bradley agreed.
5. There was some discussion of the
usefulness of a message about Mr. Grey from
the Council to some appropriate authority in
China. It was thought that it might be beat
to delay such a message until after the three
or four weeks' delay for which Mr. Brown had
asked. Thereafter it might be appropriate
to send a message through the Office of the
Chinese Chargé d'Affaires in London.
Mr. Murray undertook in the meantime to
suggest to Mr. Bradley a suitable addressee
in China for any message.
CONFIDENTIAL
23/2
I
F
F.E.) E
40
157
21 FEBRUARY 1968
Written Answers evading the payment of their Road Fund licences, be will
take the necessary action to end this means of avoiding taxation.
Mr. Diamond: Steps have already been taken to reduce evasion and the
Govern- ment will keep the situation under review in the light of their
effect.
iamentary Delegations Subsistence Allowances)
Mr. Peel asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has
coin- pleted his review of subsistence allow- ances for all members of
Parliamentary delegations to the Council of Europe. the Western European
Union and the North Atlantic Assembly Conference of Parlia mentarians;
and what conclusions he has reached.
Air. Diamond: I have been asked to reply.
Written Answers
142
As I have already made clear, I intend to secure, by means of Income Tax
ad- justments, that the 7s. increase goes only to those in need. This
will save approxi- mately £60 million of the total cost of £90 million.
Government Contracts (Cancellation Charges)
Sir J. Rodgers asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been
spent in compensation for broken contracts since his administration came
into office in 1964 to the nearest convenient date; and how much he
anticipates will be spent as a result of the cuts. particularly in
defence, announced recently following devaluation.
Mr. Diamond, pursuant to his reply. [OFFICIAL REPORt. 25th January,
1968; Vol. 757, c. 162]: The further informa tion promised is as
follows. The compen.
The review has not yet been completed. sation paid during the period
October.
Wages (Cardiganshire)
Mr. Elystan Morgan asked the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer what estimate
he has made of the percentage of the in sured population of
Cardiganshire who earn less than £12 per week.
1964 to December, 1967 in respect of con- tracts terminated by the
Government amounted to just over £5 million, of which all but a minimal
fraction related to defence contracts and is part of the sum quoted in
the reply given on 14th Feb- ruary by my right hon. Friend the Minister
of Defence for Equipment.--[Vol. 757, c,
Mr. Diamond: I regret this informa- 162; Vol. 758, c. 341.] tion is not
available,
Family Allowances
Lord Balniel asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer from how many
families
he
expects to recover the full amount of the proposed 7s. a week increase
in family allowances, and from how many families he expects to recover
part of the increase.
Mr. Harold Lever: This depends upon the precise nature of the Income Tax
adjustments to be made.
Lord Balnief asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the
total net cost of the 73. a week increase in family
Mr. Roy Jenkins: The total cost of the 7s. a week increase, after
allowing for consequential changes in national in- surance dependency
allowances, for re- duced expenditure on supplementary benefits, and for
additional tax receipts on the basis of tax at existing rates, would be
£90 million in a full year.
14 P 11
MR. ANTHONY GREY
Mr. A. Royle asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what
action he is now taking in order to secure the release from house
detention of Mr. Anthony Grey, Reuters Correspondent in Peking.
Mr. Rodgers: I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to my hon.
Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Whitaker) on 16th February. --[Vol.
758, c. 435.1
BRITISH FORCES, GERMANY (OFFSET AGREEMENT)
Mr. Loveys asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when he will
be able to report progress concerning the negotia- tions taking place
with the West German Government on offset agreements to relieve the
expense of keeping British forces on their territory.
+
CC:
TE
7/1/2/68.
152W
VOL. 759
IVED IN CHIVES No.31
28 FEB 1968
F≤12/13
:
Enter
D4154229 Op.663
F413/13
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION
for WRITTEN answer on 21 Feb. 1968
98
FE) 39)
The draft reply should reach the Parliamentary Office through your
Under-Secretary by
10 AD
U Mr. Anthony Royle (Richmond, Surrey): To ask the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, what action he is now taking in
order to secure the release from house detention of Mr. Anthony Grey,
Reuters Correspondent in Peking.
î. Intan Rome.
Leir. 21/2
To my beans and
I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave the
home Member for Hempstead on the 16th of February.
COL. 635-6
Vol. 758
Kr. Wilkinson
Parliamentary Office
RECEIVED IN [ARCHIVES No.31
28 FEB 1968
F213/13
!
38
Flag A
Parliamentary Question by Mr. Anthony Royle:
Reuters Correspondent in Peking
This question by Mr. Royle was originally down for oral
answer on Monday, 26 February. He still has a further question
down for answer on Monday asking, "Why he (the Secretary of
State) has failed to help successfully Mr. Anthony Grey who
has been detained incommunicado in his house in Peking for
several months". A draft answer to that question will be
submitted separately.
2. We are still awaiting a reply from the Chinese to the question we put
to them on 7 February about their future
intentions towards Mr. Grey. In the meantime there is nothing
we can add to the reply which was given to Mr. Whitaker on
16 February.
3.
I attach a draft reply.
James We may
(James Murray) 21 February, 1968
Ahitheri sore
21/2.
PREVIOUS REFERENCES
F213/13.w3
Flag A P.Q. by Mr. Whitaker on 16 February
Flag B P.Q. by Mr. Royle
Flag C P.Q. by Mr. Royle
Flag D P.Q. by Mr. Royle
on 22 January
on 21 December
on 20 December
RESTRICTED
RECEIVED
The Shartans B.U.
wal
N.
Noten
Mr Marray
be mir ramader 11
has seen commitment at X// in page 3
of the Talking Points.
Kr. Wilkinson
F213/13
Private Secretary Ses has
1
سکته
DEPUTATION FROM THE COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL UNION
OF JOURNALISTS
REUTERS CORRESPONDENT IN PEKING, MR. ANTHONY GREY
21
The Secretary of State has agreed to see a small deputation
from the Council of the National Union of Journalists on
Flag A 29)21 February at 5.30 p.m. They have said that they wish to
discuss the question of Mr. Grey's continuing arrest (and
Greece). In asking for an interview the General Secretary of
the Council made it clear that both his union and the Inter-
national Federation of Journalists were increasingly concerned
by the lack of progress on Grey's case and were beginning to B25 tr
24think that there was no longer any point in avoiding making
public statements on the issue.
Flag
2. I attach a background brief about Mr. Grey and draft
talking points.
Copies to:
Kr. Samuel
News Department
Consular Department
James May.
(James Murray)
20 February, 1968
Philheiron
20/2
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+
F413/13 w.?
DEPUTATION FROM THE COUNCIL OF THE
NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS
Talking Points
MR. ANTHONY GREY
I am very glad to have this opportunity to
discuss with you the question of Mr. Grey which
is causing me a great deal of concern. As you
know, he has now been under house arrest since
23 July and, since 18 August, it has not even
been possible for our Mission in Peking to com-
municate with him by telephone. We have reason
to believe that Mr. Grey is still in his own
house and is looked after by at least one of
his Chinese servants, but we have no means of
knowing the state of his physical and mental
health.
2. Our Mission in Peking, and we here, have
made many efforts to gain consular access to
Mr. Grey and to secure his release. None of
these attempts has so far proved successful.
3. The Chinese made it clear at the time that
Mr. Grey was being arrested in retaliation for
the arrest and imprisonment in Hong Kong of a
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.