TNAG-0217-FCO40-253-Detainees-and-prisoners-convicted-for-offences-during-the-di-1970 — Page 14

W(B)L 51-7406

CONFIDENTIAL

Wleased within the

Next your next Sweeding the love

months

it would be particularly felicitous if you were

able to time releases for the Spring Festival.

I see from your telegram no. 183 of 21 March

that at that time 5 were committed of crimes of

tteg

violence, 87 of possession of offensive weapons

(either personal possession or/being on

premises where such weapons were found), and

23 of possession or use of/explosives. I

imagine the proportion remains much the same.

It would clearly be preferable, from the point

of future Sino-British relations, if we could

remove this obstacle/completely. I can under-

stand that you would be reluctant to release

the 5 actually committed for violence, and

there may well be others that would present

difficulties to you. I would hope that you

under your Extters Patent would be able to release well over half of

those still detained and that the remainder be

6. I am very conscious that you hold strong,

personal views on this subject. I do feel,

nevertheless, that we have reached a most

important stage in our relations with China,

I would hope that you would agree that the

Long term

interests of thef future of the Colony would best

be served by making the most of this opportunity

to establish more cordial and workmanlike

contacts.

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CONFIDENTIAL

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