NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
W(B)L 51-7406
Moreover
in his view it would be staying opponed by Homofficial
embers this Excentive/ Council whom he would probably feel brunt to
cmsult.
As seen from Lomam, however,
с
Flay C
Provided it were possible to remove the Mostacle p the commfromtating
prismars
Some
CONFIDENTIAL
{contine A-B]
-sert þara about crimes (brackets in 5)
chine
بسم
пераваые me of the cries were of a particularly reframes. ble nature
of a call in swick death of
the resulting for Bramble with E.F The attitude of the Governor (who has
under his Letters Potent)
has
statutory powers/to grant full remission) Was
Crusisteny ben
in the past, been that releasing these prisoners
now could lead to a reduction in confidence
in the firmness of the Government of Hong Kong
he
and a sign ofsmitting to Chinese pressure.
On the other hand, the situation is now calm,
three years have passed, and pressures are
muted. Having played their best remaining
bargaining card in releasing
reles
the Chinese may feel the need to resort to
other methods of securing their release.
segúring
Zune
They
have recently linked confrontation prisoners
with the future of branches of British banks
in Shanghai. They could conceivably connect
them to our export possibilities. After
to me by the Chaze d'Affaires ($5 of my letter of 7 December hirts in London that they intend to demonstrate
the indignation of relatives in Hong Kong
letters/from relatives have started to appear
in the last few days in the communist press
in Hong Kong. If the Chinese see themselves
forced to mount a full campaign, tension could
ncrease disproportionately. The Communists
are at present avoiding clashes with the
Hong Kong Government.
it should be possible,
within the ambit of Chinese policy to improve
Zi
>
links in fields where they are of advantage to
the Colony. It is only if friendly and
workmanlike contacts can be developed that the
future of the Colony can eventually be discus-
sed.
2
CONFIDENTIAŁ
/5.