well have heard on 3.B.C.). Beforehand I hope I could at least go as far
as first tro sentences of draft reply to Mr. Lolloy's Parliamentary
Question (FCO telegram No, 405 to ilong Kong). Subject to your views, I
will scek an interview with News Department of Ministry of Foreign
Affairs this week.
FCO pass to Hong Kong.
Mr. Denson
PILES F.E.D.
H.K.D.
No.s D.
CONSULAR D.
SIA J. JCHNSTON SIR A. GALSWORTHY
EEEEE
+
[Repeated as requested?
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
CONFIDENTIAL
|
H
EN CLAIR
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO PEKING
4 JUNE 1969 (FEDX_
PRIORITY
NO 188
UNCLASSIFIED
ADDRESSED TO PEKING TELNO 188 OF 4 JUNE.
REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG.
YOUR TELNO 343: VISIT TO GREY/.
WE AGREE.
13
STEWART
FILES
F. EASTERN D.
CONS. D.
NEWS 0.
SIR S. TOMLINSON
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NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
But
Registry No.
DEPARTMENT
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
* Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should
reach addressee(s)
- 4 JUN 1900
Despatched 6050
PRIORITY MARKINGS
(Date)
}
Secres Confidential Kestricted
Unclassified
Emergency Immediate Priority
En Clair.
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Draft Telegram to:-
raft Telegr
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(Date)
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Cons Dept. News Doge Copies to:-
76. P. S. Farkers
188
Security classification
[Codeword-if any]
Unclassifu &
Peking
Addressed to
telegram .............
188
----------------▬▬▬▬▬TITIMTI▬▬▬▬‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒--111|
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46 repeated for information 10.
4/6
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mometer ------nin¬ım hırımı qaçm
H. June
D-TOTOHANAdd to opp
Hang Kang
No. 343 [Visit (5 fry]
We egne. agro.
Pm 4/6
CYPHER CAT A
IMMEDIATE
TELNO 343
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TC.
PEKING TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
4 JUNE 1969
1
ADDRESSED TO FCO TELNO 343 OF 4 JUNE.
REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG.
WILSON'S LETTER OF 22 MAY:
VISIT TO ANTHONY GREY.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY N".50
2
pn
-
на
- 4 JUN 1969
TEC 134/1
THE CHINESE MAY ASSUME THAT LORD SHEPHERD'S-VISIT TO
HONG KONG HAS SOME IMPLICATIONS FOR GREY CASE AND THAT SOME
SUBSTANTIVE MOVE IS IN PROSPECT. I SHOULD THEREFORE PREFER TO
DELAY AN APPROACH ABOUT A VISIT UNTIL LATER IN THE MONTH.
FCO PASS IMMEDIATE TO HONG KONG.
MR. DENSON
FILES
F. EASTERN D.
CONS. D.
NEWS D.
SIR S. TOMLINSON
/_REPEATED AS REQUESTED/
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
QQQQQ
CONFIDENT I AL
B
Smal
Far Eastern Department
P.o. lev. 2275
22 May, 1969.
DAR
VIÐIR JO ADIMONT
OX GALM
S&P
Hould you please refer to your letter 3/2 of 8 April to Jadae Murray in
which you recomend that we try to arrange a further visit to Anthony
Grey,
2. Ve hau hesitated hitherto to make plans for such a visit on the
grounds that if it took plnou before we wars in a position to giva Grey
so se fix indication of when his ordeal
Now is likely to end, it could only damge his morale further. that it is
clear that Gong Chak will be released from prison on 4 watober, thus
completing the release of the eluvon remaining nowaworkera, this
difficulty has dead removed.
been
I am glad to see from Rebin McLaren's latter of 17 April that there is
no objection at the Hong Kong and to a further round of visita,
les
3. I am perhaps idée sanguine than you about the chances of the Chinese
permitting another visit in view of the damaging worldwide publicity
they suffered following the visit in Novether 1968. We know that they
were embarrassed by this publicity and may fear that we will use the
opportunity in the same way again. Furthermore they my argue that as the
nowɑ- workers are due for release by October and receive regular visita
from their relativos that there is little advantage to
Nevertheless as you thes in conceding a further visit to Grey. ergue in
your letter they may wish to reinforce the position or I the NCNA in
Hong Kong by organising another round of visite, was interented to see
in Robin MoLaren's letter that he has a hunch that the local Communista
my themselves be about to request a further round of visits.
se agree with you that the main disadvantage of a visit from our point
of view is the publicity which it will undoubtedly stimulate. I think
you would agree that publicity on the sole which followed the visit in
November is unlikely to help his case during these last few months, But
we could not hope to escape answering questions on his health and
conditions of imprisonment which as you know are sensitive issues.
Publicity will clearly need saraful handling.
J. B. Denson, Esq., OBE,
PSKINO.
15.
5. This to a large extent affects the timing of your approach to the
Chinese, För tactical reasons we would not want publi- city about the
visit to break during Lord Shepherd's forthcoming visit to Hong Kong. I
suggest therefore that you should seek an interview as soon as possible
after ↑ June with the News Department of the MPA proposing a further
round of visits on the sano terms as the last visit in November 1968 and
on the under- standing that you will be allowed to visit Grey, Ön past
form it will take a little time to secure Chinese agreement; and the
visit to Gray is not, I should say, likely to take place before
mic-Juce, By the time serious negotiations begin on the arrangements for
the visit Lord Chepherd will have left Hong Kong.
6. Shen you or a member of your staff sse Gray, you will be in a
posizion to tell him that provided they earn full remission, ali eleven
newsworkers will have completed their sentences by 4 October and that
the Chinese havo told us officially that he will be relegs when the
plaven newsworkers and reïcased (our telegram No. 180 of 20 Hay). With a
firm date in mind, we must hopu that Grey will not find it so hard to
bridge the gap between June and then,
(C. Wilson)
Copy...
A. F. Maddocks, Esq., Hong Kong.
BKCRYT
SECRET
Mr. Moreton
Special Visit to Mr. Anthony Grey,
The Reuters Correspondent
سور
ช่า
BH
Problem
There has been no visit to Mr. Anthony Grey, the
Reuters correspondent detained in Peking, since November
1968. On that and on a previous occasions (April 1968)
he was visited by members of the staff of the British
Mission in Peking in exchange for special visits by
representatives of the New China News Agency to the
communist newsworkers imprisoned in Hong Kong. Normal
consular access to Mr. Grey has not been permitted by the
Chinese authorities, although the Chinese newsworkers are
allowed visits from their relatives once a month.
Recommendation
2. I recommend that we now set in train the arrangements
for a further special visit to Mr. Grey. A draft letter
is attached, Hong Kong Department concur.
Background and Argument
3. There seems little doubt that the Chinese intend to
hold on to Mr. Grey until the eleven newsworkers are released.
Ten of the newsworkers are due for release in September and,
following the announcement by the Hong Kong Government on
9 May that the sentence on the eleventh newsworker, Wong Chak,
has been reduced from five years to three years, all eleven
newsworkers will be out by October. In view of the Chinese
BECRET
1 -
SECRET
Chargé d'Affaires's statement on 19 May that Grey will be
released when the eleven newsworkers are released we can
expect that Mr. Grey's ordeal will end shortly afterwards.
However, there is a strong argument for not allowing
the intervening months to pass without making efforts to
arrange a further visit. Hitherto we have not thought that
this would be desirable until we were in a position to
indicate to him with some degree of certainty the date on
which his detention was likely to end. To visit him
without being able to give him this assurance would, I think,
have depressed his morale. It is clear from Mr. Cradock's
last interview in November 1968 and from recent letters from
Mr. Grey to his mother that Mr. Grey is critical of our
refusal to make what he considers to be the necessary
concession to the Chinese, i.e. the premature release of
the eleven newsworkers. In a recent letter to his mother
he asked for precise details on the dates of release of the
newsworkers. At that time we were not in a position to
give him a reassuring reply in the case of the eleventh
newsworker, who was not due for release until February 1971;
but we provided Mrs. Grey with a form of words which we hoped
would not depress him. There is a lot to be said now for
putting his mind at rest on this point and for telling him
that the Chinese have told us officially that they will
release him when the eleven newsworkers are released. To
know that the end of the tunnel is in sight will I am sure
help him to get through the last few months of his detention.
SECRET
-
- 2 -
SECRET
5. One serious disadvantage is that a visit will be
bound to stimulate a good deal of publicity for the Grey
case with the risk of either encouraging pressures for
retaliation against members of the New China News Agency
office and other Chinese nationals in London or for the
premature release of the eleven newsworkers. Publicity
on the scale which followed the last visit to Grey in
November 1968 is hardly likely to help his case during
these last few months But in view of the widespread
concern about Grey's state of health and the conditions
of his detention it will be difficult to avoid answering
questions on these subjects. The handling of publicity
therefore will be a delicate matter.
For tactical reasons
On
I think that it would be better to delay an approach to
the Chinese until the beginning of June. It would be
unfortunate if publicity for the visit broke during Lord
Shepherd's discussions with the Governor of Hong Kong.
past form the Chinese will probably take time to agree the
arrangements which means that if the approach in Peking is
made during Lord Shepherd's visit he will have left before
serious discussions with the N.C.N.A. in Hong Kong get
under way.
6. On the other hand, we cannot be sure that the Chinese
will permit a further visit in view of the damaging world-
wide publicity they suffered following the visit in November
1968. We know that they were incensed and embarrassed by
SECRET
- 3 -
Flag A
Flag B
SECRET
this publicity and may wish to deny us an opportunity of
repeating our success. In any case they would want in
return a special visit to the newsworkers in Hong Kong.
They may well argue that as the newsworkers are due for
release by October and receive regular visits already
from their relatives, that there is little advantage to
them in conceding a further visit to Mr. Grey. Nevertheless,
they may see advantage in obtaining a special visit to the
newsworkers on the same privileged terms as last time which
would enable them to emphasise the special position of the
N.C.N.A. in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Government see no
objection to another round of visits to the newsworkers and
have suggested that there are signs that local communists
themselves may be about to request one.
7. To sum up I think that the potential disadvantages
arising from publicity are far out-weighed by the importance
of informing Mr. Grey that the eleventh newsworker is now
due for release in early October. It should not be too
difficult for us to hold the publicity line.
Our major
concern during these last few months must be to maintain
Mr. Grey's mental equilibrium and this can be best served
by obtaining a visit soon. Both Mr. Denson in Peking and
the Hong Kong Government believe that a visit would now be
appropriate.
I agree.
SECRET
C. Wisson
(C. Wilson)
22 May, 1969.
241
4
CONFIDENTIAL
Erken {wasps
To my
Yes.
Ada se bog
leaving 221709;
Dear James,
Grey
Office of the British Chargé d'Affaires
RE
Peking
RL 20 Fay, 1969
REG!""....
28 MAY 1969
屁
Ec lift
The BBC this morning reported that a ministim
sional statement had been made in
London about Grey about which we shall no
doubt be receiving a telegram.
2.
This letter, written as the bag closes, is merely to say that I look
forward, in due course, to having your views about the desirability of a
further visit to Grey in the light of the considerations set out in my
letter of 8 April.
James Murray, Esq., C.M.G.,
Far Eastern Department,
FGO
CONFIDENTIAL
مسرام
We
(J.B. Denson)
TS 1/68
SECRET
2.
R:
:
2......
FEC
[36]
Visit to Anthony Grey
17th April, 1969.
402015 p
You sent Arthur Maddocks a copy of your
In
letter 3/2 of 8 April to James Hurray. Arthur's absence on leave I am
replying to the points raised in the last paragraph of your letter.
The last special visits to newsworkers went off smoothly and caused no
great stir in the communist press. Five months have elapsed since then
and we should certainly be prepared to allow another round of visits if
this would secure access to Gray. There is unlikely to be much progress
on reduction of sentences for some time and I do not think that this
aspect of the problem need affect the tizing of the visits provided they
are not unduly delayed.
3.
Ve have
The two main local communist papers published an article about the
nevsvorkers on 12 April, making the usual accusations of ill health as a
result of naltreat ment and lack of proper aedical care. also had an
exchange of messages with the N.C.N.A. about the health of LO Yuk-wo
(the remaining N.C.X.A. correspondent), who has recently recovered from
a bout of dysentery. It therefore seems possible that the local
communists are themselves vorking up to a request for a new round of
special visits.
Pa
20/0
(R.J.T. McLaren)
Assistant Political Adviser
J.B. Denson, Esq.
JBE,
British Charge d'Affaires,
PEKING.
c.c. J. Murray, Esq., CMG,
Far Eastern Dept.,
P.C.
LONDON, S.V.1.
SECRET
39
11
(2:0 13 0/1)
RESTRICTED
Far Eastern Department,
7 May, 1969.
38%
I enclose a note of the messages which Miss McGuinn asked should be
passed to Anthony Grey is a future visit is arranged
d questiens she would like put to him. I have taken a copy to accompany
this letter on our files.
2. It was most thoughtful of you to agree to break into your leave to
meet relatives of British subjects detained in China. I am sure you will
agree that the exercise was invaluable from " human relations point of
view; relatives in the United Kingdom can now visualise an individual in
Peking who is concerned for their particular case.
R. 1. Garside, Eaq.,
PEKING.
(E. J. Sharland)
RESTRIC
тра
I
Please tell Tony:
I post letters 3 or 4 times a week.
I still send the weekend crosswords, etc., and now also The Times every
day.
I applied for a visa to visit him at Easter for 2 weeks but it was "not
now appropriate" but the application is still with them for the future.
What the shouting was (Party Congress in April).
New telephone number 725-8563 (ex directory but the operator will put
him through).
Please try to find out:
How many letters he's getting.
Did my cable before Easter arrive?
Why he wants ear plugs?
I think he's "not bad".
יו
37
pu 42012/5
绚
on FEC
Orgiaal
FEC 14/1
Record Mastur
с
مجھے
R.R. Jaside and of Baksh Subzel
ऊ
За
3
Relatives
detained in
and Friends
China
Miss Shirley McGuinn (Girlfriend of Mr. Anthony Grey)
Kiss HcGuinn told me that she had heard from Mr. Grey that he was not
now receiving all the letters which she had been writing to him, indeed
the number of her letters which he was being permitted to receive had
been drastically curtailed. She had been writing to him three or four
times a week but he had received only two letters in January and two in
February. She said that the length of his letters to her and to his
mother varied from month to month and she claimed to be able to tell
from the way in which he used the paper on which the letters were
written that the amount of paper given to him was being varied from
month to month and
She on one occasion had been reduced to a single sheet. gave me a short
list of questions and messages to be used if we should succeed in
obtaining another meeting with Yr. Grey and I have agreed with Kr.
Sharland that these should be sent out to me by bag. Kiss McGuinn said
that Mr. Grey's most recent letter had been more emotional and more
personal than previous ones and this was causing her some concern.
However, she seemed fairly relaxed and was certainly not unduly worried
about Mr. Grey's state of health or mind.
-
S.OR.T
Suter
MF Baylor..
1714
RE
3/2
A famely intervento.
We have lunety
17
Dear James. The buyer for
Office of the British Charge
Visit to Anthony Grey
d'Affaires
Peking
8 April, 1969
FEC
In my telegram No. 137 I recommended that we should not try to arrange
another visit to Anthony Grey and you agreed (PCO Telegram No. 89). This
was at a time when there seened some hope of Grey being released before
September, Lince these hores have now apparently disappeared, I think
should look again at the question of a visit.
2.
The arguments are fairly evenly balanced. Against are:-
(a) It would not be possible during the visit to hold out hope
to crey that he would soon be released. It might therefore do more harm
than good. Grey might be primed
by the Chinese to complain about our lack of effort on his behalf, and
to ask embarrassing questions.
(b) Some statement would have to be made to the press about the
visit and about Grey's physical and mental state,
This
would certainly stimulate publicity, probably for action against the New
China News Agency in London.
(c) A visit might indicate to the Chinese that we in some way
accepted Grey's detention and this would delay his ultimate release.
(d) Another visit in Hong Kong would enhance NCNA's "official"
status.
3.
(1)
(11)
(111)
4.
Arguments in favour are:-
That however bitter Grey may feel, a visit would indicate that we are
still concerned about his welfare and would enable us to make some
judgement of his mental and physical state,
Since there is a chance that the Chinese will permit a visit, we are
under an obligation to try to arrange one both for reasons of humanity
and because it is part of our consular responsibility to a British
subject.
There might well be Parliamentary and public criticism if I do not make
an effort to see Grey. To the informed it is well known that two other
visits have been arranged in exchange for special visits in Hong Kong.
It would therefore be difficult under close questioning to maintain that
my general request for access to British subjects could be held to cover
Grey.
I believe that the Chinese Lovernment would probably allow the visit,
provided that the Hong Kong government were
Janes Kurray, Esq., C.M.G.
Far Eastern Department,
FCO
SECRET
/willing
SECRET
willing to allow another special visit under the same conditione as last
time. I do not think that a visit would in fact delay Grey's release as
I am sure this will depend on whether the Chinese think they have gained
a sufficient "victory" by the commuting of the sentence of the prisoner
due for release in February 1971 if this takes place, and the consequent
release of all 11'newsworkers by September. On past experience, it would
seem possible to control pressure for ill-advised retaliatory action in
London. On balance, therefore, I would favour asking for a visit.
4.
I should be glad if the Political Adviser in Hong Kong, to whom I am
copying this letter, could let us know whether the Hong Kong government
would see objection to our trying to arrange a visit and whether they
think the possible release of prisoners contemplated under the procedure
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.