TNAG-1923-FCO40-2728-Capital-punishment-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 38

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FM FCO

TO DESKBY 14010OZ HONG KONG

TELNO 647

OF 13174OZ MARCH 89

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

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HKB 380/1

14 MP1989

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YOUR TELNO 863 AND PEKING TELNO 402: LEGCO QUESTION ON DEATH PENALTY

IN HONG KONG

1. THE ADDITION OF QUOTE EARLY UNQUOTE IN THE FINAL SENTENCE, AS SUGGESTED BY PEKING, DOES BRING IN A VEILED REFERENCE TO POSSIBLE CHANGE IN PRACTICE IN OR AFTER 1997. THIS MIGHT LEAD TO FURTHER QUESTION EITHER ABOUT THE POST 1997 SITUATION OR POSSIBLY ABOUT CHANGES WE MIGHT MAKE BEFORE THEN. ON BALANCE, HOWEVER, AND SUBJECT TO YOU VIEWS, WE ACCEPT PEKING'S SUGGESTION.

2. WE ARE OTHERWISE CONTENT WITH THE DRAFT REPLY.

HOWE

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ΜΑΙΝ

25

MINIMAL

HKD

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DISTRIBUTION

25

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS

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