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6. Mr. Ma said that he very much appreciated Sir Stanley's
assurances that we wished to improve relations. He
welcomed the steps which the Hong Kong Government were
about to take to release four prisoners.
+
However Sir
Stanley must be aware that about eighty patriotic
compatriots were still being kept in prison in Hong Kong.
Four out of eighty was a very small number. He hoped the
British Government would give further consideration to
this question, and would take even more positive steps by
immediately releasing the patriotic compatriots. This
would assist the Chinese in taking further steps to
improve relations.
7. Sir Stanley Tomlinson said that all those prisoners
convicted in Hong Kong had been tried in open court, and
had been given an opportunity to defend themselves in
accordance with our legal system. They were all eligible
for normal remission. Mr. Ma could not fail to notice
that one of those about to be freed was not due for release
for almost another four years.
8. Mr. Ma replied that this point had been discussed
many times.
He had made clear the Chinese Government's
position. All the patriotic compatriots were innocent
and their imprisonment was totally unjustified. The
British Government should take even more positive steps
to release them immediately or to reduce their sentences.
9. Sir Stanley Tomlinson said that he had taken careful
note of what Mr. Ma had said, and he hoped that Mr. Ma
would take equally careful note of what he had said.
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/Mr. Ma