TNAG-2084-FCO40-2969-Death-penalty-in-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 82

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MDLO

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ACTION CAN BE EXPECTED.

3. MEANWHILE, WE STILL NEED A LINE TO TAKE THAT MEETS THE PARTICULAR CONCERNS OF HONG KONG. IT IS, OF COURSE, FOR YOU TO DECIDE HOW BEST TO HANDLE THE ISSUE LOCALLY. SEEN FROM HERE THE PRESENTATIONAL POINTS TO EMPHASISE WOULD BE THE AUTONOMY HKG TRADITIONALLY ENJOYS IN SUCH MATTERS AND (IN CASE OF PRESSURE FROM ABOLITIONISTS) THE PRACTICE OF COMMUTING DEATH SENTENCES THAT HAS PREVAILED IN HONG KONG SINCE 1966. BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND UKREP JLG HAVE JUDGED THAT ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN HONG KONG BEFORE 1997 WOULD NOT BE LIKELY TO INHIBIT THE SARG THEREAFTER. BUT THIS IS AN ARGUMENT WE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY WISH TO DEPLOY PUBLICLY.

HURD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

38

LIMITED

HKD

WIAD

UND

PLANNERS

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

38

LEGAL ADVISERS

MR BURNS

MR MCLAREN

MR BEAMISH

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