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FM SINGAPORE
© & MAY 1990
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 8
OF 03090OZ MAY 90
TUM
13
057416 MDHIAN 9046
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
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MY TELNO 7: GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY
1. THE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY SAILED FROM SINGAPORE AT 0600 HRS LOCAL TIME TODAY GIVING KEELUNG AS HER NEXT PORT OF CALL.
2.
AT A PRESS CONFERENCE HELD IN SINGAPORE YESTERDAY EVENING, CHRISTOPHE NICK, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE QUOTE BOAT FOR DEMOCRACY UNQUOTE ORGANISATION, SAID THAT THEY HAD ALREADY APPLIED FOR PERMISSION TO RE-PROVISION IN HONG KONG IN ORDER NOT TO CAUSE ANY UNDUE EMBARASSMENT TO THE TAIWANESE (THIS IS NOT, OF COURSE, THE SAME THING AS SAYING THAT THEY ARE NOT IN FACT BOUND FOR TAIWAN AND MAY BE INTENDED SIMPLY TO TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF THE TAIWANESE).
3. NICK ADDED THAT THERE WERE AS YET NO RADIO TRANSMITTERS ON THE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY, BUT THAT TWO TRANSMITTERS WERE TO BE TAKEN ON BOARD SHORTLY. HE DID NOT SPECIFY WHERE OR HOW THE TRANSMITTERS WERE TO BE LOADED, THOUGH THE IMPLICATION, ACCORDING TO BRITISH MEMBERS OF THE PRESS WHO ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE, WAS THAT THEY WOULD BE LOADED IN HONG KONG. CA LOCAL REUTERS CORRESPONDENT WHO HAS VISITED THE VESSEL IS NOT CONVINCED THAT SHE IS NOT CARRYING TRANSMITTERS).
DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM XINHUA IN THE AUDIENCE READ OUT A STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY FOR AIMING TO SUBVERT THE PRC GOVERNMENT, AND CLAIMING THAT THE PROJECT WAS ORGANISED BY THE FEDERATION FOR DEMOCRACY IN CHINA, QUOTE WHO ARE CRIMINALS WANTED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT UNQUOTE. THE STATEMENT ALSO ASSERTED THAT THE SHIP WAS BREAKING INTERNATIONAL LAWS, INTERNATIONAL MARINE REGULATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNI- CATIONS UNION LAWS.
5. THE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY APPARENTLY HAS 9-10 PRESS ON BOARD, INCLUDING A REUTERS CORRESPONDENT, A TAIWANESE FILM CREW (WITHOUT CAMERAS) AND AT LEAST TWO FRENCH REPORTERS.
6.
THE SINGAPORE PRESS WAS WELL REPRESENTED AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE,
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