TNAG-0722-FCO40-920-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 81

CODE 18. 77

906

Mr Kush

A. R. RUSHFORD

Reference

CONFILENTIAL KE

нка 3861

RECEIVED

-7 AUG 1978

DESK 3.. INDEX

9.51

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KEGISTRY Action Taken

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CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

1.

We discussed this morning your paper on capital punishment in the Dependent Overseas Territories. It is clear that, although the title of your paper makes it quite plain that the paper purports to be no more than the views of the FCO Legal Adviser, it is being seen as a statement of the considered FCO view on the subject, which of course begs all sorts of political questions. I suggested, therefore, that it would be best to reduce the paper to no more than a statement of the legal facts, and remove from it anything that may be interpreted as a value judgement. I attach a thus emasculated version of the paper, on the lines we discussed. If this is acceptable to you, and to Sir Ian Sinclair, I suggest that fir Cortazzi might send it to Sir Clive Rose, with a short note explaining the change that has been made.

31 May 1978

Sir Ian Singham

W.E. Chewill

WE Quantrill

Hong Kong & General Dept K247 233-4381

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CONFIDENTIAL