RESTRICTED
HKD 384/1
RECEIVE
RESTRICTED
FM PARIS
19 OCT 1993
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
DES
TELNO 1028
INDE
OF 151713Z OCTOBER 93
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
(90)
156160
MDHIAN 9353
M Ward 13/10.
82
MY TELNO 1023: EXTRADITION TO HONG KONG FROM FRANCE OF SANIMAN
SUMMARY
1.
GAME, SET, BUT NOT YET MATCH.
DETAIL
2.
THE CONSEIL D'ETAT ANNOUNCED THIS AFTERNOON 15 OCTOBER THAT IT HAD DECIDED IN OUR FAVOUR ON THE SANIMAN EXTRADITION CASE. IT ANNOUNCED THAT THE REJECTION BY THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE OF OUR APPEAL AGAINST HIS DECISION NOT TO EXTRADITE SANIMAN WAS ANNULLED. THE CONSEIL D'ETAT FOUND THAT THE CASE WAS ADMISSIBLE, THAT OUR EXTRADITION REQUEST WAS VALID AND THAT ON THE KEY POINTS OF THE CASE THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE HAD BASED HIS DECISION NOT TO EXTRADITE ON ERRORS OF LAW.
3.
WE IMMEDIATELY DELIVERED BY HAND A NOTE VERBALE TO THE QUAI (MOREAU, HEAD OF EXTRADITION) CONFIRMING THAT OUR PREVIOUS EXTRADITION REQUEST STILL HELD, AND ASKING THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT SANIMAN WAS EXTRADITED QUICKLY, INCLUDING BY ORGANISING AN EXTRADITION DECREE IMMEDIATELY (THIS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE QUAI).
4.
MOREAU WAS WELL AWARE OF THE SENSITIVITIES, AND SAID THAT HE WOULD DO WHAT HE COULD WITH THE JUSTICE MINISTRY TO SPEED THINGS UP. IN PARALLEL WE HAVE OF COURSE SENT COPIES OF THE NOTE VERBALE TO THE JUSTICE MINISTRY (GAEREMYNCK AND POTOCKI) AND TO THE INTERIOR MINISTRY (GUILLET).
5.
I THEN SPOKE TO THE DIRECTEUR DE CABINET OF PASQUA (MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR), STRESSING OUR REQUEST THAT ALL NECESSARY MEASURES BE TAKEN TO PREVENT SANIMAN'S FLIGHT FROM FRANCE. THORAVAL ACCEPTED THAT IT WOULD BE MOST UNFORTUNATE IF SANIMAN WERE NOT NOW ABLE TO BE EXTRADITED, AND UNDERTOOK TO PURSUE THE CASE IN THE INTERIOR
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