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GRFS
310
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG Ø50949Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL,
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No.ST
MAR 1974
JKKNI
TO ROUTINE F C O TELNO 285 OF 5TH MARCH, 1974.
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR SIR DUNCAN WATSON.
RE
NEXT
REF.
50 raphy
PIA
A
AS YOU SEE FROM MIPT MY LAST HOPE OF FINDING A MITIGATING
FACTOR THAT WOULD WARRANT COMMUTATION OF THE DEATH SENTENCE ON
LIU HAS EVAPORATED.
2. I WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVICE ON HOW TO PROCEED AS IT NOW APPEARS FROM YOUR END.
3. I VERY MUCH DISLIKE THE PROSPECT OF THE FIRST MAJOR ISSUE AFFECTING HONG KONG TO GO TO THE NEW GOVERNMENT BEING THE ISSUE
OF THE DEATH PENALTY,
4. ON 12TH. MARCH, SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, I PROPOSE TO SAY TO EX, CO. THAT IN MY PERSONAL VIEW, WITHOUT ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO GO ON, IT IS MOST UNLIKELY THAT THE NEW GOVERNMENT WOULD DE PREPARED TO COUNTENANCE AN EXECUTION IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES AND THAT THEREFORE .
IN MY OPINION OUR OPTION LIES BETWEEN I
(A)
ASKING H.M.G. TO ABOLISH, OR
(B) COMMUTING AUTOMATICALLY.
I WOULD ADD THAT I HAD NO DOUBT WHATEVER THAT (B) WOULD BE THE COURSE PREFERRED BY THE NEW GOVERNMENT.
5
*
IN SPITE OF THE FOREGOING IT DOES OCCUR TO ME THAT THE NEW COVERNMENT MIGHT BE MORE READY TO COUNTENANCE
ABOLITION THAN THEIR PREDECESSORS. FOR MY PART I AM COMING
TO THINK THAT SO MANY HEINOUS MURDERERS HAVE NOW BEEN COMMUTED
THAT SUCH A MOVE BY H.M.G. WOULD HAVE LITTLE MORE THA A TEMPORARY IMPACT, AND WOULD RELEASE EXECUTIVE COUNCILLORS FROM A POSITION THAT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
CONFIDENTIAL
6. I DO NOT