US
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FM FCO
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELNO 986
OF 211745Z MAY 91
INFO ROUTINE CANBERRA
28
050462
MDLOAN 2273
my major
: 2 MAY 1991
Am
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22. Q DIST?
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JACKSON'S TELELETTER TO PATEY OF 20 MAY: VISIT TO HONG KONG BY INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF JURISTS (ICJ)
1. WE TOO HAD NOTICED THAT JUSTICE KIRBY'S NAME HAD NOT APPEARED AS A MEMBER OF THE MISSION TO BE SENT TO HONG KONG. WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE CLARIFICATION IN TLUR. INCIDENTALLY, WE HAVE NOW HEARD FROM THE ICJ THAT THERE WILL BE A FOURTH MEMBER
OF THE MISSION: PROFESSOR HANS HEINER KUHNE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
TRIER AND MEMBER OF THE GERMAN SECTION OF THE ICJ.
2. YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT KIRBY ARE WORRYING. IT WOULD CLEARLY BE
AGAINST OUR INTERESTS FOR HIM TO STIR UP CRITICISM AND CONTROVERSY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ICJ MISSION SO SOON AFTER THE ENACTMENT OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS. AS YOU KNOW (FCO TELNO 913), PAUL (HD/HKD) IS BRIEFING SIR WILLIAM GOODHART, THE UK MEMBER OF THE MISSION, BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE. HE WILL DO HIS BEST TO GIVE
HIM A REALISTIC PICTURE OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN HONG KONG. WE WONDER WHETHER IT MIGHT BE WORTH YOUR GIVING THE ICJ DELEGATION A SHORT CALL ON YOU DURING THEIR MISSION. WE REALISE THAT, AS EVER, YOUR DIARY, IS LIKELY TO BE BUSY AND THAT THIS MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE. BUT WE THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE
MISSION SHOULD RECEIVE SOME HIGH LEVEL POLITICAL ATTENTION TO ENABLE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO GET ACROSS ITS SIDE OF THE STORY AND TO EMPHASISE THE POLITICAL IMPORTANCE WHICH YOU ATTACH TO HUMAN RIGHTS IN HONG KONG.
HURD
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