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4. IT IS IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THE REALITIES THAT THE GOVERNOR IS BOUND TO EXERCISE HIS POWERS IN THE WIDER INTERESTS OF HONG KONG, 5. IT IS HARDLY SURPRISING THAT THIS ISSUE WHICH HAS SUCH FAR- REACHING IMPLICATIONS BOTH HERE AND IN THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF FREQUENT DISCUSSION BETWEEN YOUR GOVERNMENT AND HMG IN THE UK. IN VIEW OF WHAT MEMBERS. HAVE SO RECENTLY SAID ON THE SUBJECT OF THE DEATH PENALTY, AND IN RECOGNITION OF THE STRENGTH OF CONVICTION WITH WHICH SO MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HOLD TO THE OPINION THAT UNLESS THE DEATH PENALTY IS CARRIED OUT IN APPROPRIATE CASES WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMBAT VIOLENT CRIME EFFECTIVELY, THE GOVERNOR HAS ONCE AGAIN REPRESENTED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE WISH IN HONG KONG FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN THOSE CASES IN WHICH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CRIME LEAVE NO REASONABLE JUSTIFICATION FOR CLEMENCY. THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE SUBJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED WHEN THE GOVERNOR CALLS ON BRITISH MINISTERS DURING HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT TO THE UNITED KINGDOM. IN VIEW OF THIS, IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR ME TO SAY MORE AT THIS STAGE.
CALLAGHAN
FILES
HKIOD (3)
HD/GGD
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
PS/PUS.
SIR D WATSON
WATSON
MR MALE
MR.LARMOUR
COPIES TO:
MR RUSHFORD, LEGAL ADVISERS
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