GR 1480 PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
LAST
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1
Rur
(HK)
(198
FM F C O 211713Z
CONFIDENTIAL
DKK 14/17
TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 938 OF 21 SEPTEMBER 1973.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO 1058: THE BLAIR-KERR REPORT ON CORRUPTION
રા
1. WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING PRELIMINARY COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSALS
IN THE REPORT FOR CHANGES IN THE LAW AND REGULATIONS. THESE ARE
SENT NOW BECAUSE OF YOUR NEED FOR SPEED, BUT IF, IN THE END, YOU DECIDE TO PROPOSE SPECIFIC CHANGES WE WOULD NEED MORE TIME TO
CONSIDER THE DETAILED IMPLICATIONS.
2. FUCITIVE OFFENDERS ACT: POSITION IS STILL AS DESCRIBED TO YOU
BY MR ROYLE. THE LAW OFFICERS HAVE CONSIDERABLE RESERVATIONS
ABOUT CHANGING THE LAW TO CATCH ONE MAN, WHO MIGHT WELL ANYWAY
BOLT WHILE THIS WAS BEING DONE. WE TAKE IT THAT THE MEASURES YOU
HAVE TAKEN AFTER THE FIRST BLAIR-KERR REPORT VIRTUALLY RULE OUT
THE POSSIBILITY OF ANYONE ELSE FOLLOWING GODBER'S EXAMPLE.
3. WE AWAIT COMMENTS FROM THE HOME OFFICE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
EXTRADITION. MEANWHILE YOU SAID YOU WOULD CONSIDER THE ADVISABILITY
OF PUBLISHING A RECOMMENDATION FOR A CHANGE WHICH MIGHT CAUSE
CODBER TO VANISH. THIS MIGHT NOT MATTER IF WE DECIDED IN THE END
NOT TO CHANGE THE LAW AND IF A CHANGE WAS THE ONLY WAY OF CATCHING
HIM, BUT IT WOULD PUT PAID TO ANY HOPE OF PINNING HIM WITH AN EXTRADITABLE OFFENCE IF THE EVIDENCE CAN BE FOUND.
4. COLONIAL REGULATIONS AND PENSIONS ORDINANCE:
WE START FROM THE POSITION THAT YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET RID
OF SOMEONE QUIETLY AND QUICKLY OF THE EVIDENCE OF CORRUPTION
AGAINST HIM IS INSUFFICIENT TO PROSECUTE, OR CANNOT BE USED FOR SECURITY REASONS, OR IF HE IS ACQUITTED BECAUSE THE QUANTUM OF
PROOF IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN A CRIMINAL CHARGE.
CONFIDENTIAL
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