CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1747
OF 311126Z MAY 91
CONFIDENTIAL
HKE CEI / 1
TOP COPY Q DIST?
(21
102655
MDHIAN 9148
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
(20
MY TELEGRAM NO 1726: STATUE OF DEMOCRACY.
·
MS.
1 WE RECEIVED BACK A MESSAGE FROM THE KMT OPERATION IN HONG KONG ON 31 MAY THAT THE SHIP QUOTE PEACE UNQUOTE (FORMERLY THE QUOTE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY UNQUOTE) WOULD NOT COME TO HONG KONG. HOWEVER, WE WERE TOLD THAT A 115 CENTIMETER HIGH STATUE OF THE GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY (IT MAY BE THE ONE ON THE PROW OF THE SHIP) WAS BEING SHIPPED FROM KAOHSIUNG TO HONG KONG. IT SEEMS THAT IT MAY HAVE LEFT ON 28 MAY.
2. THE NEWS THAT THE STATUE WAS BEING SHIPPED WAS PICKED UP BY THE ORIENTAL DAILY YESTERDAY AND THE HONG KONG STANDARD THIS MORNING. THIS AFTERNOON, CHENG RONGCHUN OF NCNA CALLED ON THE POLITICAL ADVISER. CHEN REFERRED TO THE REPORT, WHICH ALSO SAID THAT THE PLAN WAS FOR THE STATUE TO BE CARRIED IN DEMONSTRATIONS COMMEMORATING THE 4 JUNE INCIDENT ON 2 JUNE, REFERRED TO BY CHEN AS ANTI-CHINA DEMONSTRATIONS. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT EXPRESSED GRAVE CONCERN AT THIS DEVELOPMENT. WE SHOULD HONOUR OUR COMMITMENT AND NOT TURN HONG KONG INTO A BASE FOR SUBVERSION. WE SHOULD ADOPT IMMEDIATE MEASURES TO PREVENT THE STATUE FROM ENTERING THE TERRITORY. IF IT DID ENTER, THIS WOULD BE A SERIOUS INCIDENT. THE STATUE WAS NOT AN ORDINARY COMMODITY. IT WAS POLITICAL. THE CUSTOMS SHOULD THEREFORE DO SOMETHING TO STOP IT.
3. EHRMAN SAID THAT NCNA KNEW OUR GENERAL POSITION WELL. WE WOULD NOT ALLOW HONG KONG TO BE USED BY OUTSIDE GROUPS FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. WE WOULD CHECK ON THE REPORT WHICH NCNA HAD BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, AND ON THE LEGAL POSITION.
4. WE HAVE NOT SO FAR MANAGED TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE STATUE HAS ARRIVED IN HONG KONG. WE KNOW THE NAME OF THE SKIPPER CARRYING IT AND THE NAME OF THE CONSIGNEE. URGENT CHECKS ARE UNDERWAY TO TRY TO IDENTIFY THE SHIP AND TO FIND OUT WHETHER IT HAS ARRIVED. IF WE ARE ABLE TO INTERCEPT THE STATUE, THE CUSTOMS WILL HOLD IT FOR INSPECTION TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS A PROHIBITED ARTICLE. WE WOULD PLAN NOT TO RELEASE IT UNTIL AFTER 4 JUNE. BUT, IF IT LEFT
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