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RESTRICTED
Letter to Peke
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Peking.
7 January, 1969.
Dear
Coin
the offer.
Reuters
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7/31
As foreshadowed in our telegram no. 8 of 5 January, at the request of
the Housing Department of the Diplomatic Service Bureau the
Administration Officer went on 5 January to inspect the Reuters'
premises prior to the DSB taking possession of it.
of chain t "Ah, yes,' Grey's cat."
2. Getting rather bored with the seemingly endless listing of damaged
light bulbs and mising keys, he rose to the fly when the DSB inspector
pointed out that a piece connecting a plug to the bath tub was missing;
he said. "They probably used that to hang Mr. 8tecly glare from our
translator, Chang: imagination." A few seconds later the inspector
pointedly ignored a wall on which anti-Grey alogans had been painted
over. "And I suppose, Chang, that too is a product of my imagination."
Sullen silence from the translator.
3.
P.S.B. much damage.
Could not theek
"That is your
Later when the inspector and the Administration Officer were discussing
the list of breakages and missing keys, the AO put the point that it was
most strange that a man who was confined to a room for over two years
could have done so
Could not the wikitic who were guarding Grey have been responsible?
Looks of incredulity, but no reply. The AO then pointed to the Reuters
name-plate on the outside door. It was wrong, he said, that an
unoccupied building should carry this. As he did not have a screwdriver
the AO suggested that he could return the following morning to remove
it;
this was agreed but when he returned it had been been removed. The
office translator has been asked to tell the DSB that we trust it will
be sent to us so that we can forward it to its rightful owners.
4. As already reported, the Reuters' car and records have been removed
to the 0:Fice compound. The vat of night soil was luckily not
obstructing the entrance t: the garage this time. The car, surprisingly,
is in reasonable condition and we await Reuters' instructions on
disposal. It seems likely that if sold locally an ad hoc tax would be
raised on the sale even if 100% duty was paid on its importation (this
is the position reached by Norman Webster in his negotiations over the
Toronto Blobe Xail Volkswagon). Our Registrar has expressed interest in
buying the car if Reuters decide to sell it and the Chinese permit this.
Colin Wilson, Esq., FarEastern Department,
FCO.
RES RICTED
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RESTRICTED
5. Grey's Zenith radio will be taken to Hong Kong later this month by
the Administration Officer and deposited at Reuters office there.
Meanwhile we also have here a Uher tape-recorder (which has a faulty
motor), an AKG microphone and a Bell Howell 16 mm. movie camera. These
were the only items of value left in the house and they could, if
required, be taken down to Hong Kong and delivered to Reuters there.
Incidentally at least one member of our staff is interested in buying
the Uher recorder.
6.
For your own information we also removed an Adler typewriter. This we
have pressed into service since our
A full own typewriter replacements are still awaited. inventory of all
that we hold for Reuters will be sent shortly.
7. I am copying this letter to Howells in Hong Kong.
Ут
f. N. Allan
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RESTRICTED
(FEC 13C/1)
CONFIDEN LAL
Far Eastern Department
12 January, 1970
Anthony GrEY.
We were on the point of writing to you about the question of supplying
Tony Grey with material for his book, when we reosived Arthur Maddocks'
letter of 2 January. We agree entirely with Maddocks' suggestions and
would be extremely reluctant to supply more information about the
exchanges than is already known. We want to keep the lines open and
there is a risk (although, I agree, a slight ons), that the Chinese
would assume that we had put Gray up to divulging the details of the
previous rounds in order to make further contacts more difficult.
suggest therefore that you write to Tony Grey on the lines of paragraph
4 of Maddocks' lettar.
) (although,
We
2. As far as more general background information is concerned, ID are
already in touch with Grey.
pl
IAL/
0.0. H. Walden, Esq.,
PEKING.
Copy to:
(L. V. Appleyard)
A. F. Maddocks, Raq., Politionl Adviser, HONG KONG.
CONFIDENTIAL
(1121) DebugM 1,300M 210 Hv.
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry
No. PER134/1
JURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret
Secret.
Confidential
testricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
cc.
In Confidence
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Maddons.
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NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Colin Wilson Esq The Foreign Office London SW1
REUTERS
5 January 1970
Enter.
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Reuters Limited 85 Fleet Street London EC4 Telephone 01-353 6060 Telex
24145
Kean Colen
Apologies for the delay in replying to your letter of
10780
134/1
9 December but documentation about the car and other items is so meagre
that we wanted first to have a word with Tony Grey to see if he could
supply any more information.
He says all the papers he had about the car and other items were in
files left behind in the house in Peking.
The car, a Volkswagen 1200, was bought in 1964, apparently in Hong Kong,
for £638 and duty etc. amounted to £525. Registration No. 0100109;
chassis and engine nos. 823509 and 8278053. Attached schedules covering
inventory up to 31 December 1966 were supplied by Vergil Berger, Tony's
predecessor in Peking.
-
Meantime we have been advised by the Hong Kong office that one or two
other items which Mr Richard Dales informed us were being taken there
have been received and forwarded to London.
-
I am sorry we have no more documentation.
All best wishes for 1970.
Yours sincerely,
Дот ватрын
Doo
Doon Campbell
Gelsens set to Bekij.
ド
Dist
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CONFIDENTIAL
@
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(1013)
FEL 134%,
屁
CYPHER/CAT A
HORITY PEKING
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 8
5 JANUARY 1970.
CC
CONFIDENTIAL.
ADDRESSED TO FCO TELNO 8 OF 5 JANUARY REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG
KONG.
YOUR TEL 466.
11088
FEC 13C/:
QUOTE IN VIEW OF CONCRETE CIRCUMSTANCES UNQUOTE DSB HAVE EXCEPTIONALLY
(THEY SAY THEY NORMALLY DEMAND TWO MONTHS NOTICE) ACCEPTED TERMINATION
OF LEASE OF REUTERS HOUSE AND GARAGE. ADMINISTRATION OFFICER HAS BEEN
ASKED BY DSB TO ACC- OMPANY THEM ON AN INSPECTION OF THE PROPERTY TODAY
(5 JANUARY). HE WILL STICK TO GUIDANCE IN PARA 3 OF YOUR TEL
462 BUT WILL NATURALLY POINT OUT THAT CONDITION OF PROPERTY CAN MAINLY
BE ATTRIBUTED TO PRESENCE OF DSB GUARDS.
2. CAR AND REUTERS RECORDS NOW IN COMPOUND.
MR DENSON
FILES
F.E.D.
FINANCE DEPT.
H.K. DEPT. KEMS DEPT. KR. WILFORD
FFFFF
CONFIDENTITAL
GR. 41A
2600077
10,000-5/65-870149
REF.
T.S. 1/68 II.
Dear den,
CONFIDENT
COLONIAL SECRETARIAT LOWER ALBERT ROAD HONG HONG
2nd January, 1970.
(1007
FEL 134/1
Anthony Grey
George Walden sent us a copy of his letter of
16th December about the possibility of giving Grey some details for
publication about the talks in Hong Kong with the N.C.N.A.
2.
There can of course be no objection to giving Grey anything which is
already published or common knowledge. It is certainly known to most of
the foreign correspondents in Hong Kong that the Peking Restaurant here
was the venue for several of the meetings between the N.C.N.A. and the
Political Adviser in 1968, but they know rather little about other
details. They would dearly like to know more but I think they are now
reconciled to the fact that these exchanges are held in secret.
3.
I see no advantage to us in giving Grey any material which is not
already public knowledge. We know that the Chinese are inclined to take
offence when they think we have revealed information to the press about
discussions with them, for example during the border talks in November
1967.
To let Grey publish something which up to nov has been secret might also
strengthen their suspicion that there is a particularly close link
between Reuters and official circles, There is also the point that if ve
are going to release such information we should make it generally
available to the press and not only to Grey.
4.
I suggest therefore that the best course is to make available to Grey
only the few details that are already known.
Ч
ever
Athen
(A.F. Maddocks) Political Adviser.
L.V. Appleyard, Esq.,
Far Eastern Dept.,
Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
LONDON, S.W.1.
c.c. G.G.H. Walden, Esq.,
PEKING.
CONFIDENTIAL
1
CONFIDENTIAL
+
OFFICE OF THE
BRITISH CHARGÉ D'APTAIRES
PEKING
0
31/3
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spent.
6
29th December, 1969
W
By Time My FED.
Dear James,
Mo Affle you.
Plw
Shave
MASh
withs to frey
Today.
It
We read with great interest Anthony Grey's articles in The People, in
particular the description of the burning of this Mission in 1967. As I
recall, it is a fuller and more alarming account than the official
reports we received at the time in the Department. is, I understand,
drawn from conversations with people here at that time. George Walden
understands that Grey is likely to include a fuller description in his
forth- coming book. (Grey has apparently held back a number of details).
As such, it will become the definitive published account of what
happened, I think you will agree that we should try to ensure that the
account is correct in every detail and and you may therefore wish to ask
someone to get in touch with Grey and discuss the matter. I am not in
any sense suggesting that we should try to restrain him in what he
writes. I am sure in any case, that he would not take kindly to being
warned off. On the other hand, he would, I think, accept tactful
guidance.
+
2. George Walden has already been in touch with IND about supplying Grey
with current and earlier background material about China, (see his
letter of 16 October to Len Appleyard and Miss Draycott). Here again we
might be able to intervene usefully to make sure that the political
background to the 1967 events is correct so far as we know it, or, at
any rate, not damaging to our own interests.
James Murray, Esq., C.M.G.,
For Eastera Departmerik,
Foreign and Commonwwoulth office.
GOTIDEPTIAL:
+
+
F
14
CONFIDENTIAL
OFFICE OF THE BAITISH CHARGÉ D'APPAIRES
PEIING
own interests.
3. I am sure you, Robin Haydon and Ian Stevenson in IRD, to whom I am
copying this letter will appreciate the need for careful and
confidential handling of this matter.
Yours ever,
Jim
J.B. Dengon
1
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L
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