theer
Peking thin view of
вс
up
airs in
in Peking
for the present
Реви
state
q
find. Brit.it
nik to the
may
continuing poo
CONTINUING
relations
عممر
and after don't
wish to
Distribution: files any corespondent key nan tende duke
FED
being
Füagte Dept. this as
Дерв
H.K.D.
News Wyd.
Copies 10:1
to
Да
2
+
held hostage they w
a
suspension of operations for unqucified time rather than formal clown of
then Peting office
Reuters do not intend to
make
any
CLOSURE
statement either to the
chines
or to the Pass unless it becomes
necessary. They hope the matter
pare quietly leaving their
will
Peking office
necessary
& stałeminke
on ice. If it becomes
h
either because
to achieve
the optic winding up of their affairs
in
Peking, or because
the thirere was then
a
the
Puce ask then, Reuters with say
that it Las been dended not to replace their cowerpadent i
.
Vive
the time being
диету пр
Fo
the leave
LEASE
We Lregard it as important be seen to be acting Center's
should not hon
on
The Chinese
Peking for
Hey
are
this house.
Hempore
3.
Hat
you
behalf aly
Owy
regards
Chinère ask
you
of ending
the
the House
should
you
refer
them to Routas
administrature
arrangements. If thanpon the
aber the cignificance
lease a
well put may
political
a
Reuters decision
and of thieffary
you
for
Reuters
make muita dear Hall
not emported to speak on matters of policy
рови
You should similarly refer other
engrivers
formally to Reuters, Hough you
陛
(1136) DE 392077 300. 10/66 02 WB Lad. Op 263
Tmay
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
WEIL S1-7466
for their informer may of
arly
is
your on
coure add Hat it understanding that
are
Reuters to not replacing their
correspondent for the timi
sing.
4
Reuters say
the lease for
with
the
and
the houre
houre was aqued
the Housing Department of
Dyplomati Comiers
appears
Knew alle
11
Threan
SERVICES to have been
a monthly
Cares.
the Chinese insist, peuters
months rent in
will
one
рау
Лей
sein of
notice.
5
Suey
Reuters are
concutting
als the disposal of hear and
ther household effects.
の
27
Dala
(1082
CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 759
CONFIDENTIAL
Ri
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
23 DECEMBER 1969
3. DEC ...
19111
CONFIDENTIAL
Ee wala
ADDRESSED TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NO, 759 OF 23
DECEMBER REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 459 (NOT TO HONG KONG): CLOSURE OF REUTERS OFFICE IN
PEKING.
YOU MAKE NO MENTION OF POLITICAL AND PRESENTATIONAL ASPECTS OF DECISION.
THESE SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS CHINESE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY PLACE A
POLITICAL CONSTRUCTION ON IT, PROBABLY REGARDING IT AS AN INDICATION OF
HARDENING IN BRITISH POLICY. THIS NEED HOT NECESSARILY WORK TO OUR
DISADVANTAGE. IF DECISION COULD BE PRESENTED DIRECTLY OR OBLIQUELY AS
THE RESULT NOT ONLY OF GREY'S TREATMENT BUT OF THE CONTINUING
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY BRITISH SUBJECTS IN CHINA, NOTABLY THE
ARREST OF MRS. MARTIN AND MCBAIN AND THE CONTINUATION OF THE CHINESE
POLICY OF TAKING HOSTAGES.
2. IF REUTERS CONTEMPLATE TRYING TO RE-OPEN THE OFFICE AT SUME FUTURE
TIME, THEY MIGHT WELL BE RELUCTANT TO MAKE TOO FORTHRIGHT A STATEMENT,
BUT THE THOUGHT COULD BE GOT ACROSS BY INSPIRED COMMENT, FOR EXAMPLE IN
THE TIMES OR ELSEWHERE. IN THIS CONNECTION, REUTERS HAVE PRESUMABLY
CONSIDERED AND REJECTED THE POSSIBILITY OF SUSPENDING THEIR OPERATION
HERE RATHER THAN FORMALLY CLOSING THE OFFICE. BY DOING SO, THEY MIGHT BE
ABLE TO RESUME OPERATIONS MORE EASILY IF THEY THINK THE BREAK IS TO BE
SHORT, BUT IF THEY EXPECT IT TO BE MORE PROLONGED THERE MIGHT BE
ADVANTAGE IN FORMAL CLOSURE NOW, AND RENEGOTIATION LATER, UNTIL SUCH
TIME AS THERE HAS BEEN SOME MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN SINO/BRITISH RELATION
I PERSONALLY SEE BENEFIT (OTHER THAN COMMERCIAL) ONLY FOR THE CHINESE IN
THE MAINTENANCE OF A REUTERS CORRESPONDENT HERE,
13.
CONFIDENCIAL
T
CONFIDENTIAL
-2-
3. ONCE GREY'S SERVANT HAS BEEN PAID OFF AND WE HAVE DEAD-LINES TO PAY
THE NEXT QUARTERS RENT, THE CHINESE WILL PRESUMABLY CONCLUDE THAT THE
OFFICE IS TO BE CLOSED. THE INFORIATION WILL IN DUE COURSE LEAK IN
PEKING, WHERE THERE IS CONSIDERABLE INTEREST AMONG COLLEAGUES AND THE
PRESS CORPS ABOUT REUTERS INTENTIONS, I SHOULD ACCORDINGLY BE GRATEFUL
TO KNOW THE BACKGROUND OF THE REUTERS DECISION SEMICOLON THE TIMING AND
CHANNEL OF ANY COMMUNICATION THEY INTEND TO MAKE TO THE CHINESE, FOR
EXAMPLE, TO THE CHINESE DIPLOMATIC MISSION OR N.C.N.A. IN LONDON OR TO
THE NEWS DEPARTMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HERE SEMICOLON
THE LINE WHICH THEY WILL TAKE IN ANY PUBLIC STATEMENT AND THE NATURE OF
ANY COMMENT WHICH WE MAY MAKE. FOR THE PAYING OFF OF SERVANTS, SEE MY
MIFTS (NOT REPEATED),
MR. DENSON
FILES
F.E.D.
FINANCE D.
H.K.D.
NA:S D.
AR. WILFORD
I
CONFIDENTIAL
1
REGISTRY
No.
REPETITION OF TELEGRAMS
(1) OUTWARD TELEGRAM SECTION,
D.S.A.O.
Please repeat to the posts shown below telegram No.......
from/to.........
PEKING /FC. WASHINGTON No. 2486
DSY 33
24/2
(Date)
つる
(Despatched)
759
No. 29.8.4 Date......
dated
23/12/69
23.11
|
Flash
(Signed)
In Jale
En Chir
Immediate
(Dept.)
Code
Priority
(Date)
FED 23/12/69
Cypher
Routine
(2) DEPARTMENT CONCERNED (for Archives)
Security classification.
(For use in Communications Department)
Confidental
Addressed to Washington... telegram No..
No...........
and to
.........of
Following telegram now repeated to you at request of ....
received from
was
ated
"Peking
19!
107
て
久
WAPI4926-765 392352/353458
Department
telegram No. 759 of 23 Que
+
[Here Insert from A to B of attached telegram}
719
CYPHER CAT/A
CONFIDENTIAL
النور
FEL 134.
PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 459
TO PEKING
22 DECEMBER 1969
(FED)
- D
+
CONFIDENT I AL
MY TELEGRAM 389.
1061
1 - 9111
REUTERS HAVE NOW DECIDED TO CLOSE THEIR PEKING OFFICE. THEY HAVE ASKED
IF YOU WOULD THEREFORE PAY OFF THE THREEE CHINESE STAFF BY THE END OF
THIS MONTH.
2. THE STAFF ARE ENTITLED TO SEVERANCE PAY BASED ON ONE MONTH'S SALARY
PER YEAR OF SERVICE. AS EACH SUCCESSIVE REUTER CORRESPONDENT HAS LEFT
PEKING HE HAS PAID STAFF THE APPROPRIATE SEVERANCE PAY AS THEY ARE
REGARDED AS PERSONAL SERVANTS, PRESENT STAFF ARE OWED SEVERANCE FROM
APRIL 1967 WHEN GREY TOOK OVER. THIS AMOUNTS TO 275 (REPEAT 275) YUAN
FOR KAO AND CHIAO AND TO 192 (REPEAT 192) YUAN FOR HOU AS ON 31 DECEMBER
1969. REUTERS SAY THAT IF DIPLOMATIC SERVICES BUREAU INSIST ON THREE
YEARS SEVERANCE THEY WILL PAY IT.
3. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF DEPOSIT LEFT BY GREY IS INSUFFICIENT TO COVER
THESE PAYMENTS.
STEWART
FILES:
F.E.D.
FINANCE DEPT HR. VILFORD
-
CONFIDENTIAL
+
Registry No. DEPARTMENT FED
Date and time (G.M.T.), telegram should reach addressee(s)
X
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
"SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret
Confidential
Restricted
Ungasified
PRIORITY MARKINGS
(Date)
hình
}
Despatche
Priority
1..
22.-III. ‒‒‒
PHEO
Confidential
וח II.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
En Chair.
evie Cypher
Draft Telegram to:-
Peking 459 22/12
No.
(Date)
And to:-
[Security if any
classification]
Security classification
[ Privacy marking
-if any
[Codeword-if any)
Addressed to
telegram No...
And to
]
[ Pekangl
repeated for information to
(date)
--
MINI‒‒‒‒-LIN
4
FEE
JE MOJI J
+
IN
P
- --- |---
Saving to
Repeat to:-
Saving to:-
Distribution:- De
2
ว
My telegram 389 [45 November)
Reuters have now decided to
clove their Peking office. They have
would therefor
asked if you
therefore pay
of the thire Chinese staff by end of this month.
the
FITNI-IM
The staff are
entitled to
Lased a
month's
Finance Dept. Severance pay
FED.
君
22/12
18107/27
Copies to:-
salary per year of service. As each successive Reuter correspondent has
left Peking he has paid staff the
appropriate severance
ao
лау
they
--
are
regarded
[doomed to be employed personally regarded as
[personal servants. Present staff Jare
severance from April 1967
owed
when Grey took over. This amounts
275 (repeat 275) futur yuan
to
and to
192 uge
for KAO and CHIA
(rget (92) yuan for How
у
3.
as
31 December, 1969. Reuters
say Причал
Hat
if Dylomaki Sarries
Bunean insist on
Severan
they
three years
will pay
Please let
it.
us know if
it
deposit left by Grey is insufficient Here payments.
ր
cover
+
111316). DJ 392077 300m 10/NE GWBLAR Op.163
22/12
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
+
REUTERS
Tel. sent to
Achj
3.6.
Jap
Zarad
Colin Wilson Esq
Far Eastern Department
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
London SW1
16 December 1969
Reuters Limited 85 Fleet Street London EC4 Telephone 01-363 6060 Telex
24145
Dear Mr Wilson
Further to my letter of November 17, we have decided to wind up our
affairs in Peking at the year end. The questions I asked in this letter
about the disposal of Reuters effects in Peking can be dealt with in due
course. There is, however, one matter that has to be dealt with by the
end of the year and I should be grateful if you would convey the
following instructions to the British Mission in Peking.
On the termination of their service with Reuters our three staff are
entitled to severance pay based on one month per year of service. As
each successive Reuter correspondent has left Peking he has paid the
household staff the appropriate severance as these people are deemed to
be employed personally. The severance pay owing to the present staff
dates from April 1967 when Mr Grey took over. There follows a list of
the staff and the severance pay owing on December 31, 1969:
Kao
earning 100 yuan a month,
severance pay due
275 yuan
Chiao
earning 100 yuan a month,
severance pay due
275 yuan
Hou
earning 70 yuan a month
severance pay due
192 yuan
We understand that the Diplomatic Services Bureau may insist on three
years severance pay and if this is the case we are agreeable.
Yours sincerely
higet
NL Jullah
PS
I understand that Mr Grey left some money with the British Mission in
Peking to meet outstanding commitments. If the balance is insufficient
to meet these payments, we shall of course reimburse the Foreign Office
in London.
CONFIDENTIAL
Pla
WA224/4/12
R
Fl
Anthony Grey
Office of the British Chargé
d'Affaires,
Peking.
16 December, 1969.
7079
You will have seen Peking telegram No. 738 requesting your assistance in
providing Tony Grey with background material on
He is particularly anxious the Cultural Revolution for his book.
to have chapter and verse on the purge of the "leftiata" who were in
power at the time of his house arrest and the sacking of the Hission
(Wang Li, Ch'i Pen-yu, Yao Teng-shan etc). I scen to recall, perhaps in
Red Guard material, (that these people had hermed the reputation of
China by their actions against
nation foreigners.
2. I hope you will be able to get in touch with Grey soon (c/o Hotel de
la Plage Harrte des Pas, Jersey C.1.), and to
satisfy his requirement. I am afraid this may be a bit bothersome, but I
think you will agree that it is in the general interest that his book
should be based on a reliable factual groundwork.
3.
I am copying this letter to Appleyard in F.E.D.
Miss Kathleen Draycott,
I.R.D.
(G. G. H. Walden)
CONFIDENTIAL
lofe
I.
י
CYPHER CAT/A
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM PEKING
TELEGRAM NO. 738
CONFIDENTIAL
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
12 DECEMBER 1969
Kau Beli
AA...
ADDRESSED TO FCO TELNO 738 OF 12 DECEMBER REPEATED FOR
INFORMATION TO HONG KONG
Mr Judah informed
alme pa
1,21
WILSON' LETTER TO ALLAN OF 4 DECEMBER (NOT TO HONG KONG)
4.
ра ягр
GREY'S ZENITH WILL BE TAKEN TO HONG KONG SOMETIME IN JANUARY
AND HANDED BACK TO REUTERS THERE.
2. WALDEN HAS BEEN ASKED BY GREY TO SEND HIM HIS PINK BLANKET
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.