TNAG-0334-FCO40-370-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 19

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are still detained in China. Although the Chinese have been careful

not to link them with Hong Kong there is little doubt that we

should find it easier to make progress on their cases if the

confrontation prisoner issue were resolved.

4. Of the remaining 17 prisoners, 12 are due for release in the

normal way in 1973 and 1974 but 5 have even longer sentences,

including 2 life sentences.

5. The Governor is fully aware of our interest in an early

solution of the problem. It is recommended that the Secretary of

State should not take the initiative in raising this matter; but

if the Governor mentions it the Secretary of State may wish to

ask what prospects the Governor sees for further advanced releases

this year.

6. There may be some public interest in the question. After the

announcement of the 3 latest releases there were press reports

that it was an open secret that London was bringing pressure to

bear on the Hong Kong Government to speed up releases. The line

we have taken is that this is a matter for the Hong Kong Government

alone and that all long-term prisoners, not merely confrontation

prisoners, have their sentences regularly reviewed by the Board

of Review.

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