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FRO 14/1
TOP SECRET AND PERSONAL..
55
Far Eastern Department.
Pompa 242
тра
24 February, 1969
PRISONERS IN CHINA
52
Thank you for your letter 14/9 of 11 February to James Murray, who is on leave, about British subjects in difficulties in China.
2.
You mentioned a recent attempt by a member of the Chinese staff at Portland Place to put Gordon and Grey in the same category. Our own feeling about this is that the Chinese staff member probably got it wrong or was incorrectly reported. We do not believe that Gordon is being held in connection with the eleven convicted news-workers in Hong Kong.
Since you wrote the Gordon relatives in London have been assured by the Chinese Office that the Gordons are being held for a specific, though unnamed, offence against Chinese law and for no other reason. This fits closely with our own information that Gordon was somewhat indiscreet in the collection of material for a book he was writing on the Cultural Revolution. Indeed we believe that factors of a similar kind are operating in the cases of almost all the non-Grey British subjects. Whether for reasons of naive behaviour, association with the wrong people or other forms of rasimess, few of them have slates that are wholly clean. This is not to say, however, that were the Grey problem to be solved this would not be likely to accelerate a solution of the other cases.
3. We were interested to learn of Gerald Long's remarks in Washington. He has been taking a similar line here, at least in private, about the desirability of releasing the eleven remaining news-workers forthwith. As it happens, most people here agree with Long that the release of the eleven news-workers in Hong Kong would be 99% certain to secure the release of Grey. Where we differ from him is in our serious doubts about the wisdom of making such a sizeable concession in Hong Kong (particularly after being pressed openly to do so) reinforced of course by our total inability to get the Governor to consider such a course, to which he has objections founded on both Realpolitik and principle. Meanwhile we adhere in public for tactical reasons to the position that the Chinese have not committed themselves wholly to a firm price for the release of Gray. Vis à vis Long we prefer, for obvious reasons, to refrain from admitting that the price for Grey is necessarily as "low" as eleven for one. But, more important, we do not
K.M. Wilford, Esq., C.M.G.,
WASHINGTON.
/wish
1
OP SECRET AND PERSOX
TOP SECRET AND PERSONAL
wish to make it wholly impossible for the Chinese to reverse themselves and let Grey out for fewer than eleven in the unlikely event that they should come to favour such a course. In their own statements they have been careful not to put themselves completely in a corner.
4.
Meanwhile there is, as your subconscious has told you, a negotiation of sorts in progreBE. Its existence is highly confidential as is the identity of the particular intermediary we use (who will be known to Anthony Elliott), though the time may soon come when we have to tell Long in confidence and in general terme that we have tried this tack. For your own information the negotiation has not been going well. We have told the Chinese that we should be prepared to consider a disguised form of temporary deportation to China for all eleven convicted news-workers until the expiry of their sentences in exchange for the guaranteed release of Grey. preliminary reaction from the Chinese side has fairly predict- ably bean a lemon. The Chinese concede frankly that the one thing they cannot do is to persuade their own journalists to return to the boson of the motherland We did not have much
The
hope that the negotiation would succeed but felt that since we were ruling out total capitulation on the news-workers, we owed it to Grey to have a go on these more restricted lines.
5. Apart from the negotiation I have just mentioned, it has been decided here by Ministers that exsept for the usual representations no further action shall be taken on Grey's behalf for the time being Our own view at the departmental level is that the beat thing is probably to wait until September this year when ten of the seven remaining news, workers will in any case be released and try then to persuade the Governor to throw in the remaining one who is not otherwise due for release until February 1971. Whether we can in fact play the matter this way must of course depend on Grey's state of mind (at present his correspondence suggests that he is thoroughly disgusted with his situation but otherwise quite steady) and the ebb and flow of public and parliamentary pressure hare. We are also far from sure that we can carry the Governor with us, come September.
I also enclose
6. I hope this latter is what you wanted. a copy of a recent brief prepared rather hurriedly for the use of the Prime Minister in coping with one of the many delegations active on Grey's behalf in London. We do not really believe the point made in the first sentence of paragraph 3 of the background. Perhaps the last part of paragraph_2 is also over-stated. But you may find the brief useful for reference.
7. I should be grateful if you would show this letter to Anthony Elliott. Forgive me if I underîine our desire that
- 2
TOP BRCRET AND PERSONAL
/the existence
P
TOP SECRET AND PERSONAL
the existence and present use of the channel to which I have referred above should not be mentioned to the Americans. Our thoughts on tactics over the next few months (paragraph 5) are also for your own consumption only.
(J.D.I. Boyd)
- 3 -
TOP SECRET ARÐ PLRSONAL
торе
SECRET AND PERSONAL
Registry No.
FEC 14/1
DRAFT Letter
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
To:-
Top Secret
Mi ucu poradnat
.K.H. Wilford, Esq., C.M.G.,
Confidential
Washington.
Restricted.
Unclassified
PRIVACY MARKING
In Couldance
Type 1 +
From
JMB
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
Exchorum
(copy + nekim)
Mr uhlom
fini
M
PRISONERS IN CHINA
Thank you for your letter 14/9 of 11
February to James Murray, who is on leave,about
British subjects in difficulties in China.
2. You mentioned a recent attempt by a sermon
of the Chinese staff at Portland Place to put
Gordon and Grey in the same category.
Our own
feeling about this 18 that the Chinese staff märkev
probably got it wrong or was incorrectly
reported. we do not believe that Gordon is
being held in connection with the eleven
convicted news-workers in Hong Kong. 8ince
you wrote the Gordon relatives in London have been assured by the Chinese Orfice that the
Bough unnamed Gordons are being held for specific offences
a
against Chinese law and for no other reason.
This fits closely with our own information that
Gordon was somewhat indiscreet in the collection
of material for a book he was writing on the
Cultural Revolution. Indeed we believe that
factors of a similar kind are operating in the
cases of almost all the uon-Grey British subjecta
Whether for reasons of naive behaviour, associa-
tion with the wrong people or
them have
rashness, few of my alates
other forms of tank are
ee wholly clean.
This is not to say, however, that were the Grey
problem to be solved this would not be likely
to accelarate a solution of the other cases,
13. Ne
WER SI-7433
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
70 SECRET AND PERSONAL
·✔
WBL 51-7400
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
тор
SECRED AND PERSONAL
3. We were interested to learn of Gerald
remarks
Long's Date in Washington.
He has been
at least in purmet,
taking a similar line here jabbut the desirability
of releasing the eleven remaining news-workers
forthwith. As it happens, most people here
agree with Long that the release of the eleven
news-workers in Hong Kong would be 99% certain
to secure the release of Grey.
from
where we differ abmal'
him is in our serious doubts the wisdom
A
of making suchįsible concession
in Hong Kong
(particularly after being pressed openly disa) reinford
somag of course
Governor
our total inability to
get the sevenment to consider such a course,
to which he has rejectina, ben in the Realpolitik and principle. Taanile we adhere in public for tactical
(founded on
reasons to the position that the Chinese have
velvalley
not committed themselves to a firm price for
the release of Grey. There are two reasons for
pasione
19 shoulà be at apgreater disadventsgay
Vis à vis Long and other crition, if we prefer, for somens reasons, is refrom from admitting
Two The price for
(nem is
statements they
have you Deserve bein
Canfor not lo put themselves completely in a
camtv.
that the equation von necessarily as "low" as
eleven for one. ma siould ratser vian
continue to emphasize the appalling situation
we should face IT wo released the eleven and
chinese simply kept-öre; and asked for more
But, more important, we do not wish to make it
wholly impossible for the Chinese to reverse
themselves and let Grey out for fewer than
eleven in the unlikely event that they should come to favour such a course. In their own
4.
Meanwhile there is, as your sub-conscious
has told you, a negotiation of sorts in progress.
Its existence is highly confidential as is the
~{wha wall he krema 14 Anfem, Ellish" ) identity of the
Tar intermediary we use Thoth
soon
time may come when we have to tell Long in
confidence and in general terms that we have
For your own
information
tried this tack. negotiation has not been
704 AZOKAT AND I MOGNAL
/going
WIEL SE-TIGE
TO SECRET AND PERSONAL
going well.
We have told the Chinese that we
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
should be prepared to consider a disguised form
of temporary deportation to China for all elever
convicted news-workers until the expiry of
their sentences in exchange for the guaranteed
release of Grey.
The Latest ordnede féopodse
They bue
from in Chimer Three bottom side
I
side has fuirly predictably been a lemon.
on the newsD
we
conceded frankly that the one thing they cannot
do is to persuade their own journalists to
He do
return to the bosom of the motherland.
not have much hope that the negotiation would
Since we were maling mi succeed but felt that woww/total capitulation we owed it to Grey to love a noau bus mường
5. Apart from the negotiation I have just
mentioned, it has been decided here by Ministers
except for forumont representations
that/no further actión shall be taken on Grey's
behalf for the time being. Our own view at
the departmental level is that the best thing
use
This year
is probably to wait until September
ken
ten of the eleven remaining news-workers will
in any case be released and try then to
persuade the Governor to throw in the remaining
one who is not otherwise due for release until
February 1971. Whether we can in fact play
the matter this way must of course depend on
Grey's state of mind (at present his correspon-
dence suggests that he is thoroughly disgusted
with his situation but otherwise quite steady)
and the ebb and flow of public and parliamentary
была
pressure here. We are also far from suns that Can Carry The Governor with us, come September ·
I hope this letter is what you wanted.
Сорти во a second:
Persipyn. The last pont of paragraph is awo over y рала sthat But you
But you may find the brif ineford for
6.
also enclose a brief prepared rather hurridly
Léme=nee, for the use of the Prime
I
Minister in coping with one of the many
delegations active on Grey's behalf in London.
We do not really believe the point made in the
3
first sentence of paragraph ese of the
background.
SECRET AND PERSONAL
17.
ZOR
ND PERSONAL
WOL $1-740
7. I should be grateful if you would show
this letter to Anthony Elliott.
Forgive me if
I underline our desire that the existence and
present
in parm &
use of the channel to which
should not be mentiow!
I have referred Labove
Americans. Wer Our Thoughts
The next few montñs
to the
on tactics
atza (paren 5) are als for your
consumption only.
Sw
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Br 24/
SECRET AND PERSQUAL