CONFIDENTIAL
160324
MDHIAN 2078
4
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 171200Z FCO
TELNO 1344
OF 171045Z AUGUST 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, WASHINGTON
3
YOUR TELNO 759: HAN DONGFANG.
1.
TOP COPY Q DIST?
HAN HAS HAD ANOTHER ACTIVE DAY. HE BEGAN WITH A 3 HOURS PRIVATE MEETING WITH US CONGRESSMAN ACKERMAN. THE US CONSULATE-GENERAL (USCG) HAVE TOLD US (PLEASE PROTECT) THAT ACKERMAN HAS APPEALED PRIVATELY TO THE NCNA FOR CHINA TO ACCEPT HAN BACK: THE NCNA APPARENTLY REPLIED THAT THIS WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION, ON THE GROUNDS THAT WHILE IN THE US HAN HAD BROKEN HIS PROMISE, IN RETURN FOR WHICH HIS BAIL HAD BEEN GRANTED, NOT TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. HAN HAS SAID THAT HE WILL HIMSELF TRY TO MEET NCNA OFFICIALS LATER TODAY (17 AUGUST). THE USCG ALSO TELL US THAT HAN MAY WELL MEET OTHER US POLITICIANS DUE TO VISIT HONG KONG SHORTLY, INCLUDING CONGRESSWOMAN PELOSI.
2.
WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE FURTHER ARGUMENTS SUGGESTED IN TUR FOR POSSIBLE USE WITH THE CHINESE. BUT WE HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT REFERRING TO CHINESE DEMANDS THAT HKG SHOULD NOT ALLOW HONG KONG TO BE USED AS A 'BASE FOR SUBVERSION'. THE CHINESE WOULD PROBABLY RESPOND WITH A LIST OF STANDARD COMPLAINTS ABOUT OUR TOLERANCE OF DEMOCRACY CAMPAIGNERS, AND MIGHT ALSO DENOUNCE THE LOW PROFILE ASSISTANCE WE HAVE GIVEN TO CHINESE ASYLUM SEEKERS, PARTICULARLY IN THE AFTERMATH OF TIANANMEN.
3.
WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL ADVICE ON A FURTHER LEGAL POINT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED A STATEMENT DENOUNCING HAN'S EXPULSION AS A VIOLATION OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS. ALTHOUGH THE CHINESE HAVE NOT FORMALLY ADHERED TO THE DECLARATION, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT FORMS PART OF THE ORGANIC LAW OF THE UN, AND THAT ALL UN MEMBERS MIGHT THUS HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH IT. IF THAT IS THE CASE, WE COULD ALSO DEPLOY THIS POINT IN OUR APPROACH.
4. YOU ASKED FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT HAN. WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN HE LEFT CHINA, HE WAS NOT IN FACT ON BAIL (AS THE NCNA HAVE APPARENTLY CLAIMED) BUT THAT HE HAD BEEN FORMALLY EXEMPTED FROM PROSECUTION. HE ENTERED THE US ON A SINGLE JOURNEY VISIT VISA.
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