TNAG-0441-FCO40-506-Visits-of-leading-personalities-of-Hong-Kong-to-UK-1974 — Page 82

CONFIDENTIAL

27. Line to Take: We recognise the arguments for a separate

Register, but we must be satisfied about safety aspects,

including the qualifications of officers, before we can agree.

e are making a complete examination of the detailed problems

involved and the recent lengthy visit by the DTI team shows

that we are getting on with this. We will give our answer as

soon as possible.

DEATH PENALTY (Brief no. 8)

28.

There will be questions on the decision last summer to

reprieve a Chinese convicted of murder named Tsoi reversing a

But decision by the Governor to let the law take its course.

more interest will focus on whether HMG intends in the future

to allow executions to take place in Hong Kong.

29.

Possible Criticisms:

The Chinese believe in the death

penalty. It was wrong for The queen to override the Governor's

decision in the case of Tsoi simply because of the parliamentary

situation in the UK.

30. Line to fake: The Queen reprieved Tsoi on the advice of

the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary. There were special

factors which led to this decision. Each case has to be

considered on its merits.

existing law of Hong Kong.

on their individual merits.

The death penalty remains part of the

Cases will continue to be considered

31. (If pressed) It is of course possible for the Hong Kong

Government (or HMG under the general constitutional powers of

the Crown) to change the law. But any such step, if it ever

/took

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CONFIDENTIAL