TNAG-0030-FCO40-66-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 86

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ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STUDY PROVIDED THAT THEY ARE WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE LAW, WHICH PROVIDES PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF ALL PERSONS WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION,

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT RECOGNISE THAT IN THE LIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS THE POSITION OF CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF PERSONS NOW SERVING PRISON SENTENCES IN HONG KONG MAY BE OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO THE C.P.G, THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS BEFORE THE NORMAL EXPIRY OF THEIR SENTENCE WOULD PRESENT SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES: THESE DIFFICULTIES WOULD BE ESPECIALLY GREAT IN REGARD TO THE RELEASE IN HONG KONG OF THE PERSONS CONCERNED, HOWEVER, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ARE PREPARED TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF ALLOWING CERTAIN OF THESE PRISONERS WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, TO GO TO CHINA TO RESIDE.

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO POINT OUT THAT IT IS ALWAYS OPEN TO INDIVIDUALS WHO BELIEVE THEMSELVES TO HAVE BEEN WRONGFULLY INJURED OR THEIR PROPERTY TO HAVE BEEN WRONGFULLY DAMAGED TO SEEK REDRESS BY NORMAL LEGAL PROCESS.

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DO NOT SHARE CHINESE VIEWS THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF A SETTLEMENT OF DIFFERENCES OVER HONG KONG OTHER PROBLEMS IN SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS CANNOT IN THE MEANTIME BE FROFITABLY DISCUSSED. ON THE CONTRARY, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT BELIEVE THAT FAILURE TO APPROACH OTHER QUESTIONS IN A CONSTRUCTIVE SPIRIT CAN ONLY OBSTRUCT FRUITFUL CONSIDERATION OF PRESENT DIFFICULTIES IN HONG KONG. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONTINUING FAILURE TO RESTORE NORMAL MOVEMENT FOR DIPLOMATISTS, WHICH IS CONTRARY TO INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC PRACTICE, CAN ONLY THROW DOUBT UPON THE LIKELIHOOD OF ACHIEVING RESULTS IN NEGOTIATION ON OTHER MATTERS AND SERIOUSLY IMPEDE THE REGULAR DIPLOMATIC INTERCOURSE WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR THAT PURPOSE. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ARE READY TO SETTLE THE MOVEMENTS PROBLEM ON THE LINES SUGGESTED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN JANUARY AND TO THIS END HAVE ALREADY LIFTED THE

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