TNAG-0216-FCO40-252-Detainees-and-prisoners-convicted-for-offences-during-the-di-1970 — Page 24

Mr. Wilford

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference

enter p...

will (44)

SM

Hong Kong: Release of long-term

Prisoners

23.4

We have been asked to comment on Mr. Morgan's minute below of 21 August. Mr. Gaminara has set out his views in his minute of 24 August. I fully agree that the first thing to do is to tackle the cases of the sick prisoners.

2. I have the following comments on the general considerations:-

1 so at

valia

I agree. think Cypres (or Kenya)

precedents, both were cofing to Liepiake.

ww.

(a) Our basic difficulty is to find a way

(b)

of not treating confrontation prisoners more leniently than other prisoners convicted of similar offences, or, if that is not possible, justification for giving the confrontation prisoners special treatment.

I have read the papers on the situation in Cyprus in 1959 and it seems to me that there are fundamental differences between that situation and the position. in Hong Kong today. I need mention only two. First, those released in Cyprus were all deported. Second, the agreement was part of a deal directly connected with the granting of Independence to Cyprus.

(c) Unfortunately, violent crime in Hong

Kong is now on the increase and the Hong Kong Government are being forced to consider the introduction of strong measures to keep the situation under control.

(a) However fully agree that we should

explore other possible alternatives open to us in an effort to find a way of exploiting the apparent desire of the CPG to put their relations with us on a better footing.

Pl..

See

my

Елайм

(E.0. Laird)

27 August,

minte

on Mi

CONFIDENTIAL

M: Morgan's subrunssi-

below

mis