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TOP COPYDLIAN 0360
Q DIST?
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TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 462
OF 041504Z JUNE 92
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
04
OUR TELNO 399: SANIMAN
1.
AS FORESHADOWED IN TUR, THE AMBASSADOR CALLED ON QUAI STATE SECRETARY KIEJMAN ON 3 JUNE. HE READ OUT, AND THEN HANDED OVER A SPEAKING NOTE BASED ON THE TEXT KINDLY PREPARED FOR US BY KONG KONG (COPY BY FAX TO HKD AND HONG KONG).AND A COPY OF THE RECOURS GRACIEUX. THE AMBASSADOR UNDERLINED BOTH THE SCALE OF THE CRIME AND THE POLITICAL DELICACY OF THE ISSUE, WHICH WAS THE REASON FOR THIS HIGH-LEVEL DEMARCHE. HE SAID THAT A PROBLEM FOR HONG KONG WAS ALSO A BRITISH PROBLEM: THE CONTINUING IMPORTANCE WE ATTACHED TO HONG KONG WAS SHOWN BY THE RECENT APPOINTMENT OF A MAJOR BRITISH POLITICAL FIGURE, MR PATTEN AS GOVERNOR. IT WAS THEREFORE UNSURPRISING THAT WE WERE EXPLORING EVERY AVENUE.
2. KIEJMAN REPLIED THAT THE FRENCH MINISTRY OF JUSTICE WAS OF COURSE WITHIN ITS RIGHTS IN OVERTURNING THE DECISION OF THE VERSAILLES COURT OF APPEAL, AND WAS NO DOUBT GUIDED BY LAW IN DOING
BUT HE WOULD LOOK PERSONALLY AT THE DOSSIER, TO TRY TO ESTABLISH THE REASONS BEHIND THE MINISTRY'S DECISION.
COMMENT
3. WHATEVER THE EVENTUAL OUTCOME, IT WAS ENCOURAGING THAT KIEJMAN HAD OBVIOUSLY BRIEFED HIMSELF ON THE SANIMAN CASE BEFORE THE CALL. HE HAD FOLDERS OF ALL THE RELEVANT PAPERS IN FRONT OF HIM, AND REFERRED TO THEM FREQUENTLY. HE SPOKE VERY MUCH AS A DISTINGUISHED PRACTISING LAWYER AS WELL AS A MINISTER. AT THE END OF THE CALL, HE ASKED A MEMBER OF HIS CABINET TO WRITE HIM A FULL MEMORANDUM ON THE LEGAL ASPECTS.
YOUNG
YYYY
HKD 384/1
4992
Mr. Achelts
Confirmation of HMAS
visit to
Care
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