}
CONFIDENTIAL
(a)
(e)
any clemency accorded to him could, in present
circumstances, cause serious political embarrassment
vis a vis China who would be able to complain that
an act of serious provocation had been carried out
in Hong Kong by granting clemency to a nationalist
spy;
the ensuing publicity would present an opportunity
which would be seized upon by the local communist
press as proof of their allegations concerning
corruption within the Police Force and the conspiracy
which exists between the Hong Kong Government and
Taiwan;
(f) in order to obtain the necessary funds to make any
ex gratia payment, reference would need to be made
to the Hong Kong Standing Finance Committee, on which
the unofficial members of the Legislative Council are
in a majority. This would involve a revival and
discussion of the whole case which would be a most
undesirable development having regard to its nature.
CONFIDENTIAL