TNAG-1005-FCO40-1254-Capital-punishment-in-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 21

CONFIDENTIAL

4

·

(see paragraph 13 of the Memorandum) that in exercising the Crown's prerogative of mercy "governors act in their own deliberate judgment" It would also, in territories where public opinion is strongly in favour of capital punishment, place them in an impossibly individious position with their Ministers and legislatures, who would inevitably come to know that they had been subject to informal pressure from London. I still consider therefore that, if we are to "Let sleeping dogs

ie", we should do just this without any stage whispers to Governors about what would suit us best.

KiiShatton

RJ Stratton

29 January 1980

I favour "letting sleeping dogs lie" but we must watch carefully individual carls in colonies which retain Expital punishment. Owe responsibility for internal security may force us to intewere. We don't want a repetition of the Bermuda affair.

Her Contay. 30/1/80

As the

paper

shaws,

This is an excession

delicar

and tricky question. The temptation not to wake the sleeping dogs is thenfor very grear. But the car

be woken or any

Füre by

a nasty wonder (as in Bucuria 3 year ag) and that can produce

в скитда an explosion political problem her and in the

Colony)

.

CONFIDENTIAL