PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
GRPS 500
FM HONG KONG Ø10445Z
CONFIDENTIAL
DEDIP
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 597 OF 1 JUNE, 1973.
YOUR TELEGRAM 487..
NICK 1416
98
115
SIR Y.K. KAN WILL BE CALLING ON YOU AND MR ROYLE ON 6 JUNE. I SHOULD EXPECT HIS PRINCIPAL TALKING POINTS TO BE THE REPRIEVE OF TSOI AND CHINESE REPRESENTATION.
2. TSOI. HIS CONCERN WILL BE NOT SO MUCH WITH THE CASE ITSELF, THOUGH HE IS EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT THE GROWTH OF VIOLENT CRIME, BUT WITH THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF A DECISION OF THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL, WHICH CLEARLY ACCORDED WITH THE WISHES OF THE POPULATION, BEING OVERRULED IN THIS WAY. I WOULD EXPECT HIS POINTS
TO BE:-
A) PEOPLE LIKE HIMSELF WILL NOT SERVE ON EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND ACCEPT THE TIME, RESPONSIBILITY AND ALSO THE CRITICISM IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST IF THEY ARE TO BE OVERRULED ON THE THEORY THAT SINCE HONG KONG IS A COLONY IT MUST DO AS IT IS TOLD. APPLICATION OF THE LATTER PRINCIPLE RISKS WHOLESALE RESIGNATIONS FROM EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS AND THE ALIENATION OF THE POPULATION.
B) PEOPLE ARE NOW WORRIED THAT IF HMG MAY OVERRULE THE GOVERNOR-IN- COUNCIL ON SUCH AN ISSUE THEY MIGHT SIMILARLY OVERRULE HONG KONG WISHES ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. THEY HAVE PARTICULARLY IN MIND THE ISSUE OF A CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE WHICH IS OF ENORMOUS SIGNIFICANCE, BUT ALSO, SAY, ACCESS TO THE EEC.
3. THE LINE I TOOK WITH HIM WAS:
*
A) THAT IT WOULD BE UNFAIR AND ENTIRELY WRONG TO GENERALISE ON THE BASIS OF THIS CASE. EMOTION ABOUT THE DEATH SENTENCE AMONGST
CONFIDENTIAL
/ M.P'S WAS A UNIQUE