TNAG-2485-FCO40-3616-Capital-punishment-in-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 110

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When the Secretary of State visited Lisbon on 7 January Mr Pinheiro spoke briefly about the Portuguese dialogue with China over Macau. The Chinese continued to take a softer line with Portugal than Britain. There was one serious difficulty, however. The Portuguese needed to persuade the Chinese that the death penalty should not be introduced in Macau after 1999. The fact that there had been no death penalty in Portugal or Portuguese territories for 125 years was of great importance to Portugal.

The Secretary of State explained that the position in Hong Kong was different. Whereas Hong Kong public opinion had in the past been in favour of keeping the death penalty on the Hong Kong Statute Book, the newly elected LegCo had taken an opposite view. It was therefore likely to be dropped.

8 January 1992

CC:

PS

PS/Lord Caithness PS/PUS

Sir J Coles

Mr Burns

Mr Davies, FED

Mr Madden, SED

R. N.L. Sm

(RH T Gozney)

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