36
HKD 384/1 87%
RESTRICTED -
FM PARIS
19 OCT 1993
OFFICE!
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1023
OF 141803Z OCTOBER 93
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
RESTRICTED
discussed with Mr. Panter
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
153153
MDHIAN 9142
ра
а
115/10.
PARIS TELNO 1006: EXTRADITION TO HONG KONG FROM FRANCE OF SANIMAN
SUMMARY
1.
CONSEIL D'ETAT TO ANNOUNCE DECISION ON SANIMAN ON 15 OCTOBER. NEXT STEPS. UNHELPFUL ROLE OF JUSTICE MINISTRY.
DETAIL
2.
THE CONSEIL D'ETAT WILL ANNOUNCE ITS DECISION ON THE SANIMAN CASE TOMORROW AFTERNOON 15 OCTOBER. IF, AS WE EXPECT, IT IS IN OUR FAVOUR, THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE:
- WE CONFIRM IN WRITING (TO THE FOREIGN MINISTRY COPIED TO THE JUSTICE MINISTRY) OUR EXTRADITION REQUEST AND ASK THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES TO ORGANISE AN EXTRADITION DECREE.
- THE JUSTICE MINISTRY PREPARES THE EXTRADITION DECREE.
THE JUSTICE MINISTER, THEN THE PRIME MINISTER, SIGN IT.
SANIMAN HAS TWO MONTHS IN WHICH TO APPEAL, TO THE CONSEIL D'ETAT. WERE HE TO DO SO, THE CONSEIL D'ETAT WOULD HEAR THE CASE QUICKLY AND WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY NOT (NOT) UPHOLD HIS APPEAL. IF HIS LAWYERS
MADE
CLEAR THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO DO SO, HE MIGHT BE EXTRADITED TO HONG KONG BEFORE THE TWO MONTHS WERE UP.
3. ONCE THE PRIME MINISTER HAS SIGNED THE EXTRADITION DECREE, THE FRENCH POLICE CAN DETAIN SANIMAN, TO PREVENT HIS ESCAPE FROM FRANCE.
BUT THEY DO BEFORE THEN, THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES HAVE FEWER POWERS.
HAVE THE POWER TO CARRY OUT SURVEILLANCE. AFTER WRITING TO THE INTERIOR MINISTER'S CABINET ON 9 OCTOBER WE HAVE BEEN IN AT LEAST DAILY CONTACT WITH THE CABINETS OF THE INTERIOR AND JUSTICE MINISTERS, SEEKING THEIR AGREEMENT TO DO EVERYTHING WITHIN THE LAW TO HELP PREVENT SANIMAN FLEEING FRANCE. DESPITE INITIAL HESITANCY AND IN THE FACE OF CONTINUED PRESSURE FROM US, INTERIOR AGREED ON 14 OCTOBER TO DO SO.
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