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HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 1820 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
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PREPARED TO CONSIDER SIMILAR ACTION IN THE OTHER THREE OUTSTANDING
CASES. CINTERLOCUTORY JUDGMENTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN IN ALL, BUT DAMAGES
ARE NOT LIKELY TO BE ASSESSED DEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.) I CANNOT
OF COURSE GUARANTEE THAT THOSE CONCERNED WILL AGREE.
I AM ALSO PREPARED TO DELAY FOR A TIME THE SEIZURE OF THE ASSETS
OF THE NEWSPAPERS CLOSED IN AUGUST CMY TELEGRAM 545 TO PEKING)
WHICH HAVE NOT YET PAID THEIR FINES. HOWEVER THIS ACTION MUST
EVENTUALLY. BE TAKEN IN TIME TO PREVENT THE PAPERS RESUMING
PUBLICATION IN FEBRUARY.
9. DETAINEES. WE HAVE EARLIER DISCUSSED (SEE MY TELNO 1501)
THE QUESTION OF RELEASING DETAINEES AND/OR PRISONERS. HSUEH'S
REMARKS CPEKING TELNO 272) ABOUT NORMALISATION BEING DEPENDENT
ON ''THE RELEASE OF ALL PRISONERS' SUGGEST THAT THE CHINESE MAY
ATTACH PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO THIS ISSUE. I COULD NOT IN
PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES AGREE TO THE UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE IN THE
COLONY OF ANY OF THESE PEOPLE SENICOLON BUT I WOULD BE PREPARED
TO RELLASE CERTAIN OF THEM ON CONDITION OF THEIR RETURN TO CHINA
DITION
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ON DEPORTATION ORDERS, AND INDEED I WOULD GREATLY WELCOME THE
ASSURED ABILITY TO DO SO AND WOULD BE ABLE, 'TO ACT WITH MORE
TOLERANCE IN OTHER WAYS IF THIS POSITION WERE ACHIEVED. IF HM
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES THOUGHT THERE WAS ANY ADVANTAGE IN SOUNDING
OUT THE CHINSES MFA ON THEIR WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT DEPORTEES,
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE HIM WITH DETAILS OF AN INITIAL BATCH
OF THESE PEOPLE FOR CONSIDERATION.
10. LAM AFRAID THAT NONE OF THIS MAY BE VERY EFFECTIVE, BUT IT
GOES AS FAR AS I THINK WE CAN HERE. I AM AFRAID ALSO THAT ALL
THIS MERELY ILLUSTRATES THE DANGERS OF THE DILEMMA WE ARE CONSTANTLY
IN AS BETWEEN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG AND OUR MISSION, I WOULD
WELCOME YOUR EARLY VIEWS.
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/F.O. PLEASE PASS