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12. As regards (b) Far Eastern Department continue to stress that prisoners in Hong Kong are, from the Chinese point of view, the crux of Giac-British relations. They believe that the release ďî the remaining detainces, enlle unlikely of itself to secure the release of ir. Grey and other British subjects, would improve the atmosphere and help toverde a solution of outstanding probleas
13. As regards (c) there has been some correspondence on this subject in the Prent, criginated by legal circles in Hong Kong. Parliamentary int rest in the detainees has taken the form of a series of Parliamentary questions concerned principally with the details of detention and with the procedures and facilities available to detainees for the review of their cases. They have been answered without difficulty. The need to take the power of detention to deal with the situation confronting the authorities in 1967 has not boen queried. its retention today (after violence has ceased for over a year) in order to provide for th: continged detention of a few "hard core" militunt communists is not likely to be widely questioned provided this is justified solely on the threat they personully pose to security and no grounds are given for public supposition that detainees are perhaps being held as political pawns or an hostages for communist goed behaviour. A major difficulty arises in answering the que: ticn why these people cannot be dealt with in the courte. The easentiel point 18 that detainees againet whom admissible evidence could be obtained of involvement in
specific offences would have been charged and tried in the Courts. They have been detained under carrgency powers because such evidence of direct participation in illegal acts has not been forthcoming, although it has been snow on reliable inform-tion (nome of which comes from delicate sources which must be protected), that they have played a part behind the scenes in planning and organising such acts. We cannot say all this publicly, but there has been no disposition so far to press the questions asked on this point.
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