TNAG-0401-FCO40-447-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 94

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TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 520 OF 24 MAY, 1973.

Gs)

MY TELEGRAM NUMBER 483 AND YOUR NO 544: DEATH SENTENCES.

STUART WILL BE BACK IN THE OFFICE ON 29 MAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF

MEANWHILE YOU WERE ABLE TO LET US HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE

OUTSTANDING POINTS RAISED IN MY TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE,

INCLUDING THE TIME-SCALE WITHIN WHICH WE HAVE TO WORK

AND THE ALTERNATIVES MENTIONED IN MY TELEGRAM NO 468.

2. WHEN HE CALLED ON MR ROYLE TODAY, HILTON CHEONG-LEEN

SAID THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS PREFERABLE TO RETAIN THE DEATH

PENALTY IN THE LAW OF HONG KONG, EVEN IF IT WAS NOT ACTUALLY CARRIED OUT, THAN FOR IT TO BE ABOLISHED BY LEGISLATION IN THIS

COUNTRY.

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