CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 224
OF 28083OZ JUNE 91
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, HONG KONG
HONG KONG TELNO 2048
2048! CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
p.a. Cap. Punst 320 (MOLIAN
020540
MDLIAN 2485
MB320
TOP COPY Q DIST'?
LAST NIGHT
1. AT A DINNER GIVEN FOR THE MILITARY LANDS EXPERTS ZHENG WEIRONG MENTIONED TO ME THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD BEEN
APPROACHED BY THE PRESS ABOUT THEIR ATTITUDE ON THE POSSIBLE ABOLITION OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. HE SAID THAT THEY HAD DECLINED TO GIVE A VIEW CAND THIS MORNING'S PRESS REPORTS IN THIS SENSE).
ZHENG ASKED WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN.
2. I SAID THAT I DID NOT KNOW. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD SAID
IT WOULD CONSIDER ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY FROM THE STATUTE BOOK IN RESPONSE TO THE LEGCO VOTE. TRADITIONALLY IN THE UK WE HAD ALLOWED PARLIAMENT A FREE VOTE ON THIS SUBJECT, AND I SUPPOSE THAT THE SAME PHILOSOPHY WOULD NEED TO APPLY IN HONG KONG. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT VIEW THE CHINESE SIDE TOOK OF THE MATTER, BUT I DID NOT THINK THEY SHOULD BE UNDULY CONCERNED: IF THE DEATH PENALTY WERE ABOLISHED NOW THERE WOULD BE NOTHING TO PREVENT A FUTURE LEGISLATURE FROM RE-ESTABLISHING IT, INCLUDING OF COURSE THE SARG LEGISLATURE. ZHENG INDICATED THAT HE PERSONALLY AGREED WITH THIS
VIEW OF THE MATTER.
GALSWORTHY
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
38
LIMITED
HKD
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS
DISTRIBUTION
39
NEWS D
SIR J COLES
MR BURNS
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL