CONFIDENTIAL
rejected it. I do not think we can do anything further to
persuade him to soften his speech. We had therefore better
accept gracefully.
3. It is not easy to follow his reasoning when he gives as
part of the grounds for keeping to the same line that he
believes the ideas in the last paragraph of his speech to be
well founded. No one denies that the best way to deal with
Godber would be to find evidence of actual corruption for
which he could be returned under the existing Fugitive
Offenders Act. The danger is that, by letting people believe
in Hong Kong that there is a real chance of amending the law
so that he can be returned without such additional evidence,
they may try less hard to find it. This is an argument for
stressing the difficulty of amending the Act. However, the
point is not sufficiently important to be worth making
separately to the Governor.
4.
I submit a draft telegram accordingly.
16 October 1973
Copy to:
Sir D Watson
Mr Rushford
Mr Champion
CONFIDENTIAL
ACS
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department
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