CONFIDENTIAL
this 380/1
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 261
OF 300612Z DECEMBER 91
INFO PRIORITY F C 0, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
143214 MDLIAN 4347
HONG KONG TELNO 192 TO PEKING: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
APOLOGIES FOR DELAY IN REPLYING TO HK TELNO 3771 AND FCO TELNO
39
69721691 હવ
2. AS WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY POINTED OUT (MY TELNO 1081) THE CHINESE ARE LIKELY TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH A SITUATION IN WHICH THERE ARE DIFFERENT PENALTIES IN THE HKSAR AND THE MAINLAND FOR THE SAME OFFENCE. WHILE THE CHINESE MIGHT/MIGHT BE PERSUADED TO SHOW RESTRAINT ON PUBLIC COMMENTS, PARTICULARLY SINCE IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO REESTABLISH THE DEATH PENALTY AFTER 1997, THEY WILL INEVITABLY SEE THE ABOLISHMENT OF THE DEATH PENALTY AS YET ANOTHER WAY IN WHICH THE SYSTEM IN HONG KONG AS IT STOOD IN 1984 WILL HAVE BEEN CHANGED BY US BEFORE 1997. NO DOUBT MARTIN LEE'S CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WOULD BE A CONVENIENT HOOK ON WHICH THE CHINESE WOULD HANG THEIR OPPOSITION. WHILE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT WE ARE NOT CONSULTING THEM, WE SHOULD INFORM THE CHINESE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER FIRM DECISIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND GIVE THEM A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND OUR REASONS FOR WHY THEY WERE THOUGHT NECESSARY.
3
WE HAVE ONLY ONE COMMENT ON THE MEASURES IT IS PROPOSED TO RECOMMEND TO EXCO (PARA 2 OF HONG KONG TUR): THE CHINESE MIGHT JIB AT THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY FOR TREASON.
MCLAREN
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