TNAG-0400-FCO40-446-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 119

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IMMEDIATE

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FM HONG KONG 0205452

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 472 OF 2 MAY. 1973

MY TELEGRAM 460: DEATH SENTENCE.

I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WHOLE ISSUE WITH SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, NO NEW POINT EMERGED IN OUR DISCUSSION, NOR AS A RESULT OF IT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I WISH TO ADD TO OR DETRACT FROM THE APPRECIATION IN MY TELEGRAM 460, EXCEPT PERHAPS TO SUGGEST THAT IF THERE TURNS OUT TO BE OBJECTION TO ANNOUNCING AN INTENTION TO BRING IN LEGISLATION OR EVEN TO TAKE THE VIEWS OF THE HOUSE ON A FREE VOTE, THE SAME EFFECT COULD BE ACHIEVED BY ANNOUNCING THAT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE H.M.G. WOULD ALWAYS ADVISE H.M, TO EXTEND QUEMENGY.

2. SIR GEOFFREY ARRIVES LONDON AT 8.30 A.M. ON THURSDAY AND IF A DECISION HAS NOT YET BEEN TAKEN YOU MIGHT FIND IT HELPFUL TO HAVE A WORD WITH HIM.

3. I NATURALLY VERY MUCH HOPE THAT A DECISION WILL BE REACHED VERY SOON AND CERTAINLY BEFORE THE END OF THIS WEEK.

MACLEHOSE

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MR WILFORD SIR D WATSON MR LARMOUR

CONFIDENTIAL