TNAG-0280-FCO40-316-Visit-of-Parliamentary-under-Secretary-of-Foreign-and-Common-1970 — Page 64

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news worker against whom Mr. Grey was being

held. The tactic succeeded and Mr. Grey was

certainly h

for

for

released. It would be appropriate to have the

G.

Governor reconvene the Board two years later

i.e. in May 1971, but the Governor could do this earlier never the letters Patent.

Argument for Further Review

7.

There are in our view powerful arguments

for the further review of sentences based

Khis time on the principle set out in Colonial

Office circular 557/60 of May 1960 that there

should be regular review of sentences

(correctly) imposed for exemplary purposes.

Three years have now passed since the distur-

bances. Hong Kong is calm and we have proved

beyond any doubt our determination not to be

cowed by Communist pressure.

The Communists

have tacitly recognised this by calling off

the Campaign of Violence and by instructing

their followers to keep within the Law. The

in rating Chinese leaders are pursuing relatively

pragmatic and moderate policies at home and

abroad. None of the Confrontation prisoners

already released has, to our knowledge, been

re-arrested for violent breaches of the law.

Therefore

very It is extremely unlikely that any of those

released in future would resort once more to

2

violence: if they did so, it would be against

present

>

Peking's express instructions. Moreover the

question of Confrontation prisoners is a

major irritant in Sino-Hong Kong relations (as well as Sino-British

Other

which could complicate the solution of awory

which are always

problem likely to arise between Hong Kong

and China.

8. The Governor will argue forcefully that

we cannot navaccanto interfere with the course

of justice. If we conceden the wanhes for of

principle

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relations

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