CONFIDENTIAL
ADVANCE COPY 015/1"
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050274
MDADAN 4225
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 974
OF 04111OZ APRIL 92
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
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о HKD 026#3
QB
YOUR TELNO 586 (NOW REPEATED TO PEKING): PROPOSED VISIT TO HONG KONG BY A DELEGATION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY OF THE DEMOCRATIC AND LABOUR MOVEMENT AGAINST REPRESSION IN CHINA
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1. AS YOU KNOW, OUR LONGSTANDING POLICY IS TO DO WHAT WE CAN NOT TO ALLOW HONG KONG TO BE USED BY OUTSIDERS FOR THEIR POLITICAL BATTLES AGAINST CHINA. WE REFUSE PERMISSION TO ENTER HONG KONG TO THOSE COMING TO THE TERRITORY FOR THAT PURPOSE. THIS POLICY IS WIDELY UNDERSTOOD IN HONG KONG. AND HAS GENERAL SUPPORT EVEN THOUGH INDIVIDUAL CASES OF PEOPLE BEING KEPT AWAY MAY ATTRACT VOCIFEROUS SUPPORT FROM SIMILAR GROUPS.
2. IF MR PARRY AND HIS DELEGATION INTENDED SIMPLY TO TRANSIT HONG KONG ON A VISIT TO CHINA, AS OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS DELEGATIONS HAVE DONE, THAT WOULD NOT POSE PROBLEMS.
3. THAT HOWEVER DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE DELEGATION'S INTENTION. THE FORM ATTACHED TO MR PARRY'S LETTER STATES THAT THE DELEGATION PLANS TO GO TO CHINA AT THE END OF APRIL TO MEET PRISONERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THEY WILL THEN GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR TRIP AT A MEETING IN HONG KONG ON 1 MAY. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING IS TO CALL FOR THE RELEASE OF ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS IN CHINA ''FROM A LOCATION ON THE VERY DOORSTEP OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA''. IT IS CLAIMED IN THE FORM THAT IF SUCH A MEETING COULD TAKE PLACE IN HONG KONG, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT COULD NOT STOP INFORMATION FROM BEING CIRCULATED AND THERE WOULD BE A RIPPLE EFFECT OF REACTIONS THROUGHOUT CHINA. ELSEWHERE IN THE FORM, IT IS STATED THAT THE PROPOSAL FOR A MEETING IN HONG KONG BY ACTIVISTS OF THE CHINA DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT IN EXILE HAS BEEN FAVOURABLY RECEIVED IN 34 COUNTRIES. IT IS ALSO ADMITTED THAT VISAS TO VISIT CHINA HAVE BEEN REFUSED IN THE PAST. PRESUMABLY THEY WOULD BE REFUSED AGAIN.
4. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT A MEETING IN HONG KONG OF THE SORT PROPOSED WOULD CAUSE US A GOOD DEAL OF EMBARRASSMENT. IT WOULD BE
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