TNAG-0400-FCO40-446-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 201

CONFIDENTIAL

4. 1 AM VERY SORRY THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE: SHOULD NOW BECOME DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THIS MATTER, AND PARTICULARLY AT A TIME WHEN IT IS A POLITICAL ISSUE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, BUT I

ነ

THINK THE CHOICE NOW LIES BETWEEN REJECTING THE PETITION (PROVIDED ADVICE IS THAT IT HAS NO MERIT) OR INSTRUCTING ME TO REFRAIN FROM ENFORCING THE LAW UNTIL SUCH TIME AS IT CAN BE AMENDED (1,CAN FORESEE NO MAJORITY FOR SUCH AN AMENDMENT IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES). THE LATTER COURSE WOULD PRECIPITATE A SUBSTANTIAL CRISIS HERE, AND I BELIEVE WOULD BE WRONG, AND MUCH AS I DISLIKE THIS WHOLE BUSINESS I HOPE YOU WILL FEEL ABLE TO FOLLOW THE FORMER COURSE

AGAIN, ASSUMING THAT THE PETITION IS FOUND TO HAVE NO MERIT.

5. THE PRESO HERE HAS LEARNT OF THE APPEAL FROM THE DEFENCE

LAWYER.

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HKLOD

SIR D WATSON PS/MK ROYLE

MR WILFORD

COPIES TO:

MR RUSHFORD LEGAL ADVISER MR WATTS

#

-2-

CONFIDENTIAL