Kong Government. I would have seen the letter in today's Times from Mr.
John Rear. While Mr. Long did not accept everything said in that letter,
he might in certain circum- stances feel bound to probe into the Hong
Kong Government's policy on detentions. He would be under strong
pressure to do so if Hsueh Ping were released and Mr. Grey continued in
detention.
2. I thanked Mr. Long for speaking so frankly, and said that I hoped the
Secretary of State, who had recently had a long discussion with Sir
David Trench, would be able to reassure him about the Hong Kong
Government's policies. Mr. Long admitted, as he had done in several
previous conversations with me, that he had a strong sense of personal
guilt over Anthony Grey, and he hoped we would make allowances for the
strain this case caused him. I asked Mr. Long to be assured that we
fully understood his very difficult position.
3. In briefing the Secretary of State for tomorrow's talk with Mr. Long,
would you please cover the points recorded above and include a note on
Mr. Rear.
Meeting took place on 12 Worzale, 1968. As it was private in Africa's
were possent
no wheat was taken.
42021/2/69
c.c. Secretary of State
Sir J. Johnstor Mr. Koreton News Department
Afolaitand
(D.J.D. Maitland) 11 November, 1968.
Sir A. Galsworthy Hong Kong Department.
FEZ139/1.
CONETRANATAL
POREIGN AND
15
COMMORA "ALIN OFFICE,
15 November, 1968.
hony drey of xeuters
Jayan 187!!
1
One of the XGIA coʻrespenients convicted in connection with events in
Hong Kong in 1967, Haush 7'ing, is due for release ch 16 November. he is
the last of the original list of communist journalists imprisoned in
iong Kong in retali: tion for "hoss arrest and conviction the Chinese
declared on 22 Jul, 1967 that tay rare "limiting the freedom" ar ie,
'nthany Oray the Reuters correapenient in Peking. ...ith the release of
Flush, therefore, there is a chance (albeit a slim ans) that the Chinese
sill in the coming weeks releaDE Gray.
2. If Gray in released from house arrest he will set nauennarily be
permitted to leave China; bat on balanes we should expeat vis rapid
expul§ 100, The Thinése aaye in the past expelled detainees through Hong
Zone," liveever, it is possible that the special factors involved in the
asse of Grey say lead them to send him out of China bự another route,
e.g. by Aeroflot, Air Franse or P.I.A.
wou
3. Grey's departure from China could take place at very aŭort notice and
the Chinese might well withhold the information from 1.X, "hergé
d'Affaires in Peking. The purpose of this lutter is therefore të requcat
you, and the other posts to which it is eppied, to inform the office by
flugh telegram should you learn of irez'a appearance in your parish.
Reuters savo told us that they t:ansalves wish to be responsible for
arrangments for Orgy's reception in third countrics and will fly out a
senior member of the Reuters staff to meet him, This will oơri uly take
time and we should be grateful if you a look after him in tim interval.
we do not know what wil! bo Grey state of health shen he emerges frem
aetention but he may well need medical attention, At the least he will
need privacy and quiet while ne adjusta again to the outside sorld.
target of his fellow jouɛalista nná sa, well require some help in He
will also be the protecting himself from their attentions. welcome a
press conforange and I doubt whetɛer Oray will be fit
Cautere we know will net enough to fase one, Clearly we must leave this
in the light of legal sirousa tanees, to look after his and shield his
as boat you can watil the loutera official arrivas.
on to desile how to play Your main object must
Oopies of this letter go to Changeries in Paria and Phnom Penh, the Righ
Commission in kawalpindi, Deputy Righ Commission in Dassa and also for
informatiem to Hong Kong and Paking.
Chancery,
BOSCOW.
(G. Allnem)
Far Eastern Dapertamen t
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry FECM3C/1. DRAFT Letter
No.
Type 1 +
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
To:
From
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
Chancery, MOSCOW.
Mr. C. Wilson
Telephone No. & Ext
Department
0.0.
Chancery; Manta. Paris,
Phnom Penh,
Hori
Peking/ Pruning Alumin
Hong Kory H.C. Rawalpinde. D.H.C Dacca.
1970
છે.
es. My
Aeroful's Ani Fromis or PIA.
Mr. Anthony Grey of Reuters
One of the NCNA correspondents convicted
in connection with events in Hong Kong in 1967,
Hsueh P'ing, is due for release on 16 November.
He is the last of the original list of
communist journalists imprisoned in Hong Kong
in retaliation for whose arrest and conviction
the Chinese declared on 22 July, 1967 that they were "limiting/the
freedom" of Mr. Anthony Grey
the Reuters correspondent in Peking. With the
release of Hsueh, therefore, there is a chance
(albeit a lim one) that the Chinese will in the coming whens
If Grey is released
release, Grey.
Grey.// If
from house arrest he will not necessarily be
permitted to leave China; but on balance we
should expect his rapid expulsion. The
Chinese have in the past expelled rgázésin
?
detainees through Hong Kong. However, it is
possible that the special factors involved in
the case of . Grey may lead them to send him
oute Mr. Grey's
out of China by another route
departure from China could take place at very The Chirices malaltia wet
intikat tu information from Man tanca 'Affman in Miam
short notice and the purpose of this letter is
you and în obuv pršle to when the capurleg d to request pete to inform
the office by
Hath
Sigma Leam (c) Sing's appeavana in your pantry telegram should
HaveĚJVAČE SÍ
Beyond Ente
_have_no-particular guidance for posts.
Hot Reuters have told us that they themselves
wish to be responsible for arrangements for
ni tim coutimer,
K
Grey's reception. However we enclose-for
/your
14.
your information a copy of a personal
letter from the Genepal Manager of Reuters
to Mr. Grey setting out the lines on which
Reuters hope Grey can play his return to
Me outside world.
the
Copies of this letter w
go to Chancers Paris, Phaom Penh,
and awo for innifampie 167
Hong Kong and Peking
This High Commission in Rawalpinde, Deputy
High Commission
Commission in Dancer
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
[
C
CONFIDENTIAL
1015/11
وا پیل
سا
Mr. Wilson, Far Eastern Department
Then Enair Jazy..
IS VED IN ARCHIV.S No.31
14NOV 1968
pa 15/11
Fecise/
ANTHONY GREY OF REUTERS
When Mr. Gerald Long, the General Manager of Reuters, called today, Mr.
Stewart spoke on the lines of the Talking Points prepared by the
department. Mr. Stewart also told Ir. Long that a reply to Mr. John
Rear's letter would be appearing in the Times tomorrow. Mr. Long said
that Reuters would certainly carry this reply. He added that he had also
taken up a number of Mr. Rear's points in a letter which he hoped would
appear tomorrow.
Mr. Long said that he deeply appreciated Mr. Stewart's personal concern
with the case of Mr. Grey. There was nothing in Mr. Stewart's handling
of this case that he thought might have been done otherwise. He accepted
that it was right to wait to see what happened after the release of
Hsueh Ping. Mr. Long went on to say that if Mr. Grey were not released
within a reasonable period of the release of Hsueh Ping, he would have
to consider some form of action. It had been exceedingly difficult
remaining inactive during all this period. Mr. Stewart said that it
might also seem that the Government had been inactive, but this was in
fact not so. Since Mr. Gray's detention, the Government had been doing
everything possible to create the kind of atmosphere in our relations
with the Chinese which would enable them of their own volition to
release Mr. Grey. Mr. Long accepted this.
3. In answer to Mr. Stewart's question, Mr. Long said that the sort of
action he might take in the event of the continued detention of Mr. Grey
would be action designed to anticipate the kind of "rubber bulldog"
argument that the Daily Sketch had used over the pilots detained by the
Algerians.
/r. Stewart
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Mr. Stewart pointed out that the mood of the House of Commons when he
had last referred to this case had been one of sympathy and
understanding. There was this difference in the situation that Mr.
Grey's family and Mr. Long himself had exercised commendable restraint.
Moreover, it was obvious to public opinion that there was movement in
our relations with the Chinese. After all, Sir D. Hopson and other
members of our mission had been allowed out, and three ship's officers
had been deported. Mr. Long accepted that, to this extent, the cases
were different. He thought that if Grey were not released, pressure
might be exerted on the Chinese through a press campaign in numerous
different countries. He would have no difficulty in organising this. Mr.
Stewart asked Mr. Long to warn us before instituting this campaign. He
added that if the Chinese were to learn in advance that such a campaign
was being organised this might be sufficient to move them. There were
some grounds for thinking that the grant of exit visas to members of our
mission had been influenced by the knowledge that we were mobilising the
support of our friends.
4. Finally, Mr. Long thanked Mr. Stewart for receiving him and for the
close consultation there had been throughout between Reuters and the
Department.
c.c. Sir J. Johnston
Sir A. Galsworthy
Mr. Moreton
Mr. Carter, Hong Kong Dept.
News Department
Domait and Famaitian
(D.J.D. Maitland) 12 November, 1968
CONFIDENTIAL
Flag D Flag F
Flag F
Flag G
CONFIDENTIAL
(COVERING SECRET)
ARUI 2.5 NO. 31
14 NOV 1968
FECIBC/1.
530
13
Mr. Moreton
rece for a copy i
Private Secretary
+
MR. ANTHONY GREY OF REUTERS
Mr. Gerald Long will be calling on the Secretary of State
at 5.30 p.m. on 12 November.
This takes the place of his
call on 6 November when the Secretary of State was unable to
see him.
Problem
2. Mr. Long telephoned the Private Office on 11 November in
connexion with a letter entitled "Held in Peking" which was
published in "The Times" of the same date from a Mr. John Rear.
A copy of the letter and the Biographical Note on Mr. Rear are
attached. The letter referred to the problem of detainees in
Hong Kong and compared their position with that of Mr. Grey under
house arrest in Peking. It contained a number of misconceptions
about the treatment of detainees in Hong Kong and implied
incorrectly that the detention of Mr. Grey was linked with the
cases of the detainees. A reply setting the record straight
has been sent to The Times" under the signature of the Director
of the Hong Kong Government Office in London. A copy is
attached.
Argument
3. The problem of Hong Kong detainees was given careful
consideration during discussions with the Governor of Hong Kong
from 22 to 23 October. ▲ record of the discussion on this
CONFIDENTIAL
(COVERING SECRET)
/ point is
CONFIDENTIAL
(COVERING SECRET)
- 2.
Flag H
point is attached. The general conclusion was that the
release of detainees could and should make a contribution to
the process of de-escalation in our relations with China but
that the security requirements of Hong Kong should remain the
paramount consideration in determining the rate of releases.
The number of detainees has fallen from the maximum of 54 at
the height of the crises to 32 as of now. Further releases
will be made as and when conditions permit.
4.
It would appear from Mr. Long's telephone conversation
that he himself has been confused by Mr. Rear's letter and
fears that Grey's release could be delayed by the Hong Kong
Government's policy towards detainees.
feelings on this point is indicated by the fact that the Reuters
service has distributed the text of Mr. Rear's letter. It is
Evidence of his
to be hoped that they give the same treatment to our corrective
reply when it appears in "The Timea". I attach a Speaking Note.
5. In paragraph 5 of my submission of 5 November I reported
the Chinese request for another round of visits to N.C.N.A.
correspondents and news workers imprisoned in Hong Kong in
exchange for a special visit to Grey. There has been no
substantial progress in this matter yet. A second meeting
between the Political Adviser in Hong Kong and N.C.N.A.
officials was held on 7 November but no agreement was reached
on the N.C.N.A. demands for a group meeting and the right to
distribute "The Thoughts of Mao" to prisoners.
A further
meeting is to take place shortly.
Copies to:
Sir J. Johnston
Sir A. Galsworthy Mr. Carter
& Wilson
(C. Wilson)
12 November, 1968.
CON
(COVERING SECRET)
I
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Mr. John Rear
Mr. Rear is a barrister in his early thirties and
has been in Hong Kong for about two years. He is
employed as an Assistant Lecturer in the Extra Mural
Department of Hong Kong University.
He has a record of
criticism of Hong Kong legislation having broadcast his
views over the local radio and published them in journals
like the Far Eastern Economic Review.
The acting Governor of Hong Kong has commented that
"he is idialistic and naive in his political attitudes
but not a communist".
Far Eastern Department
12 November, 1968.
TALKING POINT
Mr. Anthony Grey
I understand that you are concerned about a letter
published in "The Times" yesterday by a Mr. Rear comparing
Anthony Grey's position with that of certain detainees in
Hong Kong which implied that Grey's fate was in some way
associated with the release of those detainees. In my view
this is a false analogy. As you know the Chinese have
stated publicly that Grey was detained in retaliation for the
arrest of a number of New China News Agency correspondents
and news workers in Hong Kong. These newsmen were all
tried and sentenced by the courts. So far as we are aware
the Chinese have not linked his case with that of the detainees.
The detainees are a special group including a number of hard
liners responsible for bomb incidents last year in which women
and children were killed. Their number has fallen from a
maximum of 54 at the height of the crisis to 32 and further
releases will be made as and when conditions permit. But I
am sure that you will understand that releases can only be made
in the light of the security requirements of Hong Kong and when
it is felt that releases will present no danger to the local
population. The Hong Kong Government dialikes the use of these
detention orders, but bearing in mind the scale of violence
last year they have been used with moderation.
Far Eastern Department
12 November, 1968.
CONFIDENTIAL
Eveê
124.15
p.
ERCEIVED Pe
Primal
Saceling
ARCHIVES No.31
1 1 NOV 1968
Kr. Mofoton
Ker f/2, 14/11
FEC130/1
Mr. Anthony Grey of Reuters
The Secretary of State has agreed to see Mr. Gerald Long,
General Manager of Reuters, at 4.55 p.m. on 6 November.
I
attach talking points.
.
Flag A
Flag B
2. Mr. Long wrote to the Secretary of State on 23 July
asking that consideration be given to an act of clemency under
which Chinese newspaper workers imprisoned in Hong Kong would
be released, in the hope that this would secure the release
of Mr. Grey, the Reuters correspondent who has been under house
arrest in Peking since July 1967. The Secretary of State sent
an interim reply promising to go into the matter with the
Commonwealth Secretary, but underlining that Mr. Long's request
raised far-reaching and delicate questions involving the
maintenance of our authority in the Colony. Since then the
Private Secretary, Far Eastern Department and News Department
have kept Mr. Long regularly in touch with developments.
Head of Far Eastern Department saw Mr. Long on 17 October and
gave him a fairly detailed account (omitting names) of the
covert probe of Chinese intentions recently conducted in Hong
Kong. Reuters are therefore aware of general developments;
it is important that we have their full co-operation in the
delicate stages in the handling of the Grey case which may
lie ahead.
The
/ Argument
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F
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Argument
+
3. At the end of Mr. Long's discussion with the Head of Far Eastern
Department on 17 October, Mr. Long said that he accepted that the
correct course, for the present, was to wait now for the release of
Hsueh P'ing, the New China News Agency correspondent imprisoned in Hong
Kong. Hsueh will be released
on 16 November. Like ourselves, Mr. Long is prepared to wait in the hope
that the release of Hsueh will result in the release of Mr. Grey; but,
also like ourselves, Mr. Long is concerned
about the situation with which we shall be confronted if the
release of Hsueh does not in the event secure the release of Grey.
It might be better if the Secretary of State did not take the initiative
with Mr. Long in raising the matter of an amnesty in Hong Kong " Our
discussions with the Governor on 25 October
underlined the difficulties. There was general agreement that an amnesty
for any considerable number of convicted prisoners was quite out of the
question. Mr. Long may also press the Secretary of State to consider at
least the release of Lo Yu-ho, the only other N.C.N.A. correspondent
imprisoned in Hong Kong. While we have at no stage encouraged Reuters to
believe that we would necessarily be ready to make this concession, it
is nevertheless something which has been canvassed in the Press,
notably in the "Sunday Times" of 20 October. Mr. Long is therefore
likely to put it as a possibility to the Secretary of State and we
should be ready for this eventuality. However if Grey is not released by
December we may well have to consider
/ the desirability
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3-
the desirability of the premature release of Lo. In view of
the Governor's strong objections to this course, it would be
wiser not to raiseit with Mr. Long. I have included guarded
defensive talking points in case Mr. Long raises these subjects.
5. Since Mr. Long's visit there have been further developments
in Grey's case. On 2 November the N.C.N.A. in Hong Kong asked
the Hong Kong Government for a further round of visits to
Chinese correspondents and newspaper workers imprisoned in the
Colony. In return the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Peking
gave our Chargé d'Affaires to understand that arrangements
would be made for officials to visit Grey after the visits to
newspaper men in Hong Kong had taken place.
6. The first and last occasion on which we were given access
to Grey took place on 23 April this year and was also in
exchange for visits to Chinese newspaper men in Hong Kong.
On 6 July Mr. Cradock made a further offer of an exchange of
visits to the Chinese without eliciting any response. This
was in addition to our repeated representations for consular
access to Grey.
7. It is not clear what effect this development will have on
Grey's prospects for release following the release of Hsueh on
16 November. Subject to satisfactory arrangements being agreed
in Hong Kong for the visit to Chinese journalists there is no
reason to doubt that the Chinese authorities will permit a
further visit to Grey. In presenting their request the N.C.N.A.
have demanded a meeting with the whole group of prisoners
CONFIDENTIAL
/ (14 persons)
Flag C
CONFIDENTIAL
- 4-
(14 persons) to give them "the Thoughts of Mao". Similar
demands were made during the prolonged negotiations which
preceded the exchange of visits in April but they were later
dropped in the face of strong opposition from the Hong Kong
Government. It remains to be seen how seriously the Chinese
will press them on this occasion. It is possible that the
Chinese request marks a final attempt to extract the last ounce
of propaganda from the newspaper workers in Hong Kong before
releasing Grey. A visit at this stage is not incompatible with
a decision to release him although there are other ominous
features in this development. By demanding a visit to all 14
newspaper workers the Chinese are implying that Grey's fate (whether for
the purpose of a visit or release) is linked with
the group and not with any one individual.
If it is not their
intention therefore to release Grey after 16 November they may
hope to divert unfavourable publicity by presenting the visit
to Grey as a aoncession on their part for the release of Hsueh.
8. Reuters have already been informed of the possibility of
a visit to Grey subject to satisfactory arrangements being
agreed in Hong Kong. We have offered to transmit to Grey any
special messages from them or Grey's mother.
Background
9. The background to the case of Mr. Grey is given in our
note of 22 October.
C. Wilson
wilson
(C. Wilson)
5 November, 1968.
Copies to: Sir J. Johnaton
Mr. Carter (Hong Kong Dept.)
CONFIDENTIAL
Sli
CONFIDENTIAL
Talking Points
ANTHONY GREY OF REUTERS
Anthony Grey, your correspondent detained in Peking has
been very much on my mind in recent months. I know that my
officials have been keeping you in touch with what has been
going on. I have asked you to call today to underline my
personal interest and to assure you that I have been following
developments very closely. I had an opportunity to discuss
the whole matter in some detail last week with the Governor of
Hong Kong who has just come back to this country on leave.
We have always thought that it would be impolitic to try
to negotiate the release of Mr. Grey through formal channels
with the Chinese. As you know, at an early stage we offered
the Chinese a direct exchange of Mr. Grey for Hsueh P'ing.
They showed no interest in such an arrangement and this
reinforced our impression that a negotiation could only
encourage the Chinese to name a price quite unacceptable to us
(e.g. the release of large numbers of convicted prisoners in
Hong Kong); and this might well delay rather than speed the
conclusion of this unhappy affair. However, as the Head of
Far Eastern Department has already told you in confidence, the
Governor of Hong Kong was instructed last month to conduct a
probe of Chinese intentions through covert channels. The
/intermediary
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2-
intermediary's initial reaction to our approach was somewhat
surprising. He made it clear that in his view any negotiation
with the Chinese about Grey would be an act of folly.
He gave
three reasons:-
(a) The Chinese would be bound to raise their terms, probably
demanding the release of newspaper workers imprisoned
in Hong Kong as the quid pro quo.
(b) It would encourage the Chinese to arrest more British
subjects as a means of exerting pressure on us.
(c)
It would embarrass the "moderate" elements in Peking, with
whom the intermediary was in contact, by showing that a
policy of seizing hostages produced results.
At subsequent meetings the intermediary intimated that he
had received messages from the Chinese on the following lines.
He should not go ahead with discussions with the Hong Kong
authorities about an exchange; any negotiation would embarrass
the Chinese authorities and force them to demand a high specific
price for Grey. In fact "there was no price". The Chinese
authorities would prefer simply to release Grey "in their own
time", which would in the view of the intermediary, be in the
fairly near future.
In the conduct of a cover operation of this delicacy the
difficulty is of course to decide how much reliance can be
placed on the intermediary. The Hong Kong authorities have,
They
however, had much experience with this intermediary.
regard him as reliable and think that he has faithfully retailed
what the Chinese have told him.
I
/ We accordingly
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- 3-
We accordingly decided that in this difficult situation
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.