CONFIDENTIAL
17
065724
MDHOAN 8279
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 921
OF 04164OZ MAY 90
ние 060 //
TOP COPY Q DIET ?
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PARIS, SINGAPORE
YOUR TELNO 44: GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY
1. THE DESTINATION OF THE VESSEL STILL APPEARS TO BE UNCLEAR. WE HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE MAY BE NO/NO CHINESE DISSIDENTS ON BOARD BUT ONLY FRENCH NATIONALS.
2. JUST IN CASE THE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY DOES MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO ENTER HONG KONG WATERS, WE HAVE ASKED OUR LEGAL ADVISERS TO CONSIDER WHETHER HONG KONG HAS ANY OBLIGATIONS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW TO GRANT QUOTE INNOCENT PASSAGE UNQUOTE OR TO GIVE ASSISTANCE TO SHIPS QUOTE IN DISTRESS UNQUOTE. WE WILL LET YOU KNOW THEIR OPINION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHETHER YOUR LEGAL ADVISERS HAVE EXPRESSED ANY VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
LIMITED
HKD
FED
NEWS DEPT
SEAD
N N N N
52
52
DISTRIBUTION
52
MAED
ECD (E)
PS/MR MAUDE
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL