f
CONFIDENTIAL
bound to stir up debate and controversy in Hong Kong. The Governor's strong preference is therefore not to
raise the issue of Capital punishment in the Dependent
Territories now, and he certainly would not wish anything
to be done in regard to Hong Kong. But he agrees that abolition through Order in Council applying to the
Caribbean Territories alone would be less damaging than
any of the alternatives. If we were challenged as to why
the opportunity had not been taken to legislate for Hong
Kong, we would take the line that there is no immediate
need for any action, and that it would be wrong to insist
that Hong Kong should be required to follow the United
Kingdom lead in such a sensitive area when we were
seeking to build up the territory's autonomy in the run
up to 1997.
Conclusion
In
16. If you agree with the course of action which I have outlined, I propose that the Orders be taken by the next
regular meeting of the Privy Council in late October.
the meantime we have already informed Governors of my intention and they now need to be instructed to explain our policy to their Legislative Councils. Although there
may be a hostile reaction from them, I judge that it will
be short-lived and containable.
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/17.