TNAG-2284-FCO40-3285-Capital-punishment-in-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 62

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י

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO ROUTINE F C O

TELNO 1081

OF 090716Z JULY 91

CONFIDENTIAL

Pp. Gap Pun B4

MECE HAAD 380/

DESH

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

YOUR TELNO 1242:

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

·

10 J. 1991

051300

MDLIAN 4751

This is nonsenses. There is

Kay A

не

already

lunge

difference

doit

give the death

пед

penalty in ith her economic

crimes.

WE

1 PARA 2 OF TUR. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE ACQUIESCED IN THE PRESENT SYSTEM UNDER WHICH THE DEATH PENALTY IS USED IN SENTENCING BUT NOT APPLIED IN PRACTICE. SUSPECT THAT THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP WOULD NOT BE TOO COMFORTABLE WITH A SITUATION IN WHICH THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE IN THE PENALTIES APPLIED BETWEEN THE MAINLAND OF CHINA AND THE HKSAR. ON THE OTHER HAND THEY MIGHT BE WILLING TO SHOW SOME RESTRAINT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

(A) THEM

(B)

IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE, GIVEN THE LEVERS OF INFLUENCE OPEN TO

TO REVERSE THE DECISION AFTER 1997

THE SEPARATE COMMITMENT IN JD 10 THAT THE LAWS CURRENTLY IN FORCE WOULD REMAIN BASICALLY UNCHANGED

(C) THEY WOULD NOT WISH TO BE SEEN INTERFERING, PARTICULARLY ON THE ISSUE OF THE DEATH PENALTY, IN AN AREA WHICH COULD INFLUENCE US DECISIONS ON MFN.

2.

IT IS HOWEVER INEVITABLE THAT THE CHINESE WILL VIEW THIS AS ONE FURTHER AREA IN WHICH THE SYSTEM THEY SIGNED UP TO MAINTAIN UNDER THE JD IN 1984 WILL HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED BEFORE THE HANDOVER IN 1997.

MCLAREN

x

YYYY

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