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HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 869 TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
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AT THE INFORMATION GIVEN TO YOU AT THE END OF PARAGRAPH 4 OF OUR
ELEGRAM 14 OF 21 JANUARY WAS INCORRECT, AND IN FACT PROCEEDINGS
COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN AGAINST HIM DESPITE THE LAPSE OF SIX MONTHS
SINCE THE OFFENCE WAS INDICTABLE, AS IT HAD BEEN APPARENTLY NEITHER
OUR INTENTION NOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT BREACHES OF SUPERVISION
ORDERS SHOULD BE PROSECUTED AFTER THEY HAD EXPIRED, AND AS IT IS
UNDESIRABLE TO BE FACED WITH HAVING TO PROSECUTE DETAINEES WHO HAVE
FAILED TO REPORT UNDER SUPERVISION ORDERS FOR YEARS TO COME, THE
DECISION WAS TAKEN NOT TO PROSECUTE. BUT THE DECISION WAS A DIFFICULT
ONE TO TAKE, IN THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED AS BEING IN
RESPONSE TO THE RELEASES OF THOSE PREVIOUSLY DETAINED BY THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT. (IN THE EVENT I HAVE NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THE
TWO EVENTS WERE CONNECTED BY ANYONE, THERE HAS BEEN NO PUBLICITY
OF ANY KIND AND I BELIEVE NO HARM TO HAVE BEEN DONE).
6. I WAS RELIEVED TO SEE FROM YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 400 TO PEKING THAT MA HAD MADE NO MENTION OF HONG KONG IN DISCUSSING THE REMAINING
BRITISH SUBJECTS HELD. I HOPE WE CAN KEEP IT THAT WAY,
7. I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD PASS A COPY OF THIS TELEGRAM
TO SIR DAVID TRENCH.
FCO PASS PRIORITY TO PEKING.
SIR H NORMAN WALKER.
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED] .
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