PS
CHECHIKA
EXTRACT
Original at: HKK3/ This Copy for: HANN
Information only/Action" on Para(s)
GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG:
1.
CALL ON SECRETARY OF STATE
Sir Murray MacLehose will be calling on the Secretary of State at 9.45 a.m. tomorrow. The Governor last called on the Secretary of State on 11 April: I attach a copy of the record of that meeting. The following topics might be covered tomorrow.
Capital Punishment
G.
As part of the Hong Kong Government's campaign to contain the pressure for the retention of capital punishment, the Governor has had to promise that he would raise this matter again with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State might confirm that he sees no chance of carrying the House of Commons with him in a decision to allow the death penalty to be carried out in Hong Kong, even where there are no extenuating circumstances at all. This is constitutionally most unsatisfactory. Nonetheless the Governor is to be congratulated on his recent decision to announce that imprisonmont for life will in future be the normal punishment when the death sentence is commuted. This has done much to draw the sting from the campaign for retention of the death penalty although, of course, it can break out again at any time.
11.
FED and EID(E) concur.
3 December 1975
сс
Sir D Watson
Ir Larmour
Mr Cortazzi
Mr Male
Mr Mc Nally
PL O'Keeffe
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.
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