TNAG-0009-FCO40-45-Kowloon-disturbances-1967 — Page 128

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Minister of State

2

There are two decisions which we have to take very quickly.

The first, which must be made today, is whether the trial of the twenty-odd agitators arrested on 6 May should proceed (Hong 122. Kong telegram No. 607) tomorrow (Hong Kong time) as planned.

3. The second decision, which is not so immediate, is how we reply to the Chinese statement about these disturbances of which our Mission in Peking has been handed a copy by the Chinese Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

4, We have discussed this with our colleagues in the Foreign Office Our view on the trial is that there are three alternatives:

(a) to postpone the trial for, say, 48 hours in order to see how

matters develop;

(b) to start the trial tomorrow as planned but to seek an adjournment perhaps on grounds that further evidence is required and to re-offer bail which the men detained have already been offered but have refused;

(c) to proceed with the trial as planned and let the law take its course. Since the charges are for illegal picketing it does not appear that prison sentences would be involved. One of the agitators who pleaded guilty when tried on 8 May was fined H.K. $100. We cannot be sure that some of the other defendents may not have more serious charges laid against them but on the evidence we have we assume that fines of H.K.$100 (£6.5.0.) would probably meet the situation.

5. Our objection to (a) is that if we show weakness from the outset we believe that the Chinese will instigate the Hong Kong dissidents to increase their pressure and demands against us.

6. Our objection to (b) is that, as far as we know, the prosecution has prepared its case and if we ask for an adjournment for further evidence this also would look like a sign of weakness,-

7. We therefore conclude that we should proceed as at (c). We accept that in view of the demands contained in Peking's statement, one of which is that all the persons arrested should immediately be set free, this may appear provocative both in Hong Kong and in

!

Peking

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