TNAG-0400-FCO40-446-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 15

CONFIDENTIAL

CYPHER/CAT A

GPS 350

FM HONG KONG 163431Z

CONFIDENTIAL

[ NKK 14/16

TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 536 OF 16 MAY, 1973

ACCO

(93)

GO DOL

DEATH SENTENCES: FUTURE POLICY.

! REPORTED YOUR DECISION TO EX, CO. YESTERDAY. SPEECHES

REFLECTED COLD ANGER AND FRUSTRATION IN A WAY I HAVE NOT HITHERTO EXPERIENCED, AND I WAS OBLIGED TO KEEP A STRONG GRIP TO PREVENT THE PROCEEDINGS GETTING OUT OF HAND. SUBSEQUENTLY SIR Y.K. KAN THREATENED RESIGNATION BUT WAS DISSUADED.

2. THOUGH THE GLEE OF ABOLITIONISTS IS IMMEDIATELY VISIBLE THE GUT REACTION OF THE BULK OF THE POPULATION, IN WHICH LIES THE REAL DANGER, WILL NOT BREAK SURFACE FOR A LITTLE TIME,

3. TO HELP ME DECIDE HOW TO HANDLE THIS I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FURTHER VIEWS ON MARA 2 OF YOUR TELEGRAM 400 IN THE LIGHT OF MONDAY'S DEBATE AND YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY POSITION OVER THE NEXT 2 OR 3 MONTHS. IN PARTICULAR I NEED TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE PREPARED TO CONTEMPLATE EXECUTIONS IN HONG KONG IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, 1.E.:*

A)

AFTER A TEST OF OPINION IN HONG KONG OF A SORT TO BE DEVISED, BUT GOING FAR BEYOND A MERE VOTE IN LEG. CO.,

B) OR IN SPECIAL CASES, FOR INSTANCE MURDER OF A POLICEMAN, OR PRISON WARDER, OR A SECOND MURDER (A MURDER IN PRISON BY A REPRIEVED MURDERER TOOK PLACE A MONTH OR TWO AGO, AND A POLICEMAN WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A ROBBER LAST MONTH).

4. SINCE PARLIAMENTARY REACTION APPEARS TO BE THE DOMINANT FACTOR,

! SUGGEST IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO AWAIT REACTIONS HERE BEFORE LETTING ME HAVE YOUR VIEWS.

/5. EITHER

CONFIDENTIAL

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