FROM:
PS
TO:
PS/NO 10
PROPOSED VISIT TO HONG KONG AND CHINA BY A DELEGATION
FROM THE 'INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY OF THE
DEMOCRATIC AND LABOUR MOVEMENT AGAINST REPRESSION IN
CHINA'
х
In view of the exchange of correspondence between the
Prime Minister and Mr Robert Parry MP last autumn about
human rights in China you may like to be aware of the
recent exchange of letters between Mr Parry and Alastair Goodlad (copies enclosed).
The Governor advised that considerable embarrassment
would be caused by the visit. If the delegation were
allowed to hold a meeting in Hong Kong about political
prisoners in China it would be seized upon by the Chinese
as a classic example of Hong Kong being used as a "base
for subversion" against China. Rather than putting this
message in writing Mr Goodlad tried to speak to Mr Parry
on the telephone but he had already left the country.
As Mr Goodlad's letter makes clear, immigration issues are for the Hong Kong Government. Technically, anybody
can be refused permission to land but the Governor
recognises that it would be politically unwise to do this
to European MPs.
MP3ADP
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