TNAG-0601-FCO40-749-Capital-punishment-in-Dependent-Territories-1977 — Page 128

Your ref. HKG 380/1 Our ref. DGO 1/1

RESTRICTED AND PERSONAL

Telephone 2-2587

143

Deputy Governor's Office

Hamilton 5-24. Bermuda

29 September, 1977

J A B Stewart Esq, OBE

Hong Kong and General Department

FCO

Dear Stewart,

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

HKG 380/1

RECEIVED IN @***.

-

NO. 51

- 5 OCT 1977

PA

REGISTRY Action Tather

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

No

(39)

Our telegram Personal No. 29, sent today, reported that the long- awaited PLP petition was finally handed to the Governor this morning.

2.

In

I wanted to send the petition itself under cover of a non-personal letter, so that Bermuda Government files contained a record of its disposal. Such a letter could not, however, refer to the known plans to abolish capital punishment in dependent territories, either de jure or de facto. Nor could it simply quote the procedure laid down in the 1969 FCO memorandum, as the plans oblige us to deviate from this. the event I have therefore written a letter which says rather blandly what we propose to do without explaining our reasons for doing it. hope that it will suffice for the purpose. It is anyway enclosed, together with the petition.

Yars ever Peter Wond

GP Lloyd Deputy Governor

I

RESTRICTED AND PERSONAL