CONFIDENTIAL
release of convicted persons has only been seriously considered in this limited context and the issues are summarized in a
separate note. The following paragraphs are concerned with the release of detainees.
Views of H.M. Mission in Peking and the Governor
6. Our Mission in Peking have argued, both in relation to convicted prisoners and detainees, that some major gesture in this direction is necessary if we are to make any real progress towards a detente in our relations with China. An amnesty for prisoners convicted of comparatively minor offences, some large- scale release of detainees - these in the Mission's view are the signs that the Chinese Government is looking for to moderate their own stance.
In
7.
The Governor has pointed out that there is no real evidence that concessions on our part have had any effect on Chinese policy or could lead to matching concessions on their part. line with agreed general policy that we should not make concessions that would weaken our position in Hong Kong, he has argued that security requirements in Hong Kong must be the paramount consideration in deciding how many detainees to release and when; that we must also take into account public reaction to concessions of this nature and the effect on confidence in Hong Kong (a factor in this would be the propaganda use the communists might make of our concessions) and that there was danger in
using detainees as political pawns or bargaining counters. Subject to these points the Governor has been prepared to release detainees as part of a process of de-escalation".
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8. The Mission have in turn questioned whether security considerations today justify holding people in detention or even retaining emergency powers to detain without trial; they have doubted the likelihood of an adverse public reaction in Hong Kong to large-scale releases; they have pointed out that communist propaganda has so far treated such releases in a very subdued vein and that we started on these moves with the intention of giving the communists a small face-saving victory; and they have expressed the view that political offenders may properly be used to gain political benefits.
9. There is clearly room for argument here, but our conclusions are that :-
(a)
The release of detainees is most unlikely to produce matching concessions in relation to detained British subjects in China; nevertheless concessions of this kind can contribute to a process of de-escalation. The Governor is right in insisting that security requirements and the likely reaction on public
confidence in Hong Kong must be paramount considerations. These are essentially matters for local assessment, by the Governor.
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/ (b) ...
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