SECRET
HKB 370/1
8
051437
MDLOAN 2168
SECRET
FM FCO
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELNO 326
OF 15164OZ FEBRUARY 91
д
Pa
YOUR TELNO 455: CHARLES WARWICK REID
TOP COPY Q DIST?
1.
AS STATED IN OUR TELNO 2266, THERE IS NO LEGAL DIFFICULTY ABOUT REMOVING REID TO THE UNITED KINGDOM UNDER THE COLONIAL PRISONERS REMOVAL ACT 1884. BUT
WE WOULD STILL NEED TO OBTAIN THE AGREEMENT OF THE HOME SECRETARY. WE WOULD ALSO NEED TO CONSULT OUR OWN MINISTERS. (AS YOU HAVE AGREED
TO PAY THE COSTS OF REID'S REMOVAL AND MAINTENANCE WE WOULD NOT/NOT NOW NEED TO CONSULT THE TREASURY UNDER SECTION 11 OF THE ACTS.>
2. THE APPROACH TO THE HOME SECRETARY WOULD NEED TO BE CONVINCINGLY ARGUED - FOCUSSING ON THE THREAT TO REID'S LIFE AND ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS EVIDENCE. IF YOU STILL ENVISAGE THAT
YOU MIGHT NEED TO TAKE SWIFT ACTION TO TRANSFER REID HERE, WE WOULD PROPOSE NOW TO SEEK FCO MINISTERIAL APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE FOR THIS COURSE OF ACTION. WE WOULD THEN BE IN A POSITION TO SEEK HOME OFFICE AGREEMENT IMMEDIATELY YOUR REQUEST AROSE. IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU CONSIDERED THAT TIMING WAS NOT CRUCIAL WE WOULD LET MATTERS REST FOR THE TIME BEING. 3. FROM YOUR PARA 5 IT NOW APPEARS TO BE YOUR INTENTION TO CONSIDER REMOVING REID TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, AFTER HE HAS GIVEN EVIDENCE. IF REID WAS TO BE RETURNED TO HONG KONG AT SOME LATER DATE FOR THE COMPLETION OF HIS SENTENCE, SECTION 3 OF THE COLONIAL PRISONERS ACT 1884 COULD BE USED (OUR TELNO 2266). YOU ARE AWARE, THE DIFFICULTY OF RETURNING REID TEMPORARILY TO HONG KONG TO GIVE EVIDENCE REMAINS.
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