TNAG-0497-FCO40-562-Deportation-of-foreign-nationals-from-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 134

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CONFIDENTIA

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CONFIDENTIAL

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14 AUG 1974

Nickly's

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REF.

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 226 OF 14 AUGUST,/INFO TO HONG KONG.

YOUR TELEGRAM NO 111:

ILLEGAL EMIGRANTS.

1. I FEEL SOME CONCERN THAT HMG MAY BECOME UNNECESSARILY

INVOLVED IN THE DETAIL OF THIS CASE IF WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE DRAWN INTO A DIALOGUE WITH AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL. WHATEVER SANGUINETTI'S CONTRIBUTION MAY TURN OUT TO BE,

THE MAIN WEIGHT OF AMNESTY'S CHARGE IS THE ALLEGATION

OF 14 DEAD AND 20 PLUS SENT TO THE FRONT LINE. THIS IS ALSO, IT SEEMS TO ME THE PRESENT MAIN WEAKNESS OF THE AMNESTY CASE. THESE CHARGES WERE OFFICIALLY DENIED ON 2 AUGUST (MY TELEGRAM NO 212) AND AGAIN BY THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION PERSONALLY ON 7 AUGUST (MY TELEGRAM

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NO 218). UNLESS AMNESTY HAS REAL EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY I SEE NO REASON FOR US TO DOUBT THESE STATEMENTS. ON

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22 AND 23 JULY (AFTER THE PARTY'S RETURN FROM CON SON) WE WERE ABLE TO REPORT THE OFFICIAL BREAKDOWN FROM

THE POLICE PROSECUTOR OF HOW THE 117 WERE BEING DEALT WITH (MY TELEGRAMS NOS 198 AND 202) AND ON 30 JULY WE HAD THE STATEMENT FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTER (WHICH WAS I KNOW ALSO CONSIDERED BY THE PRIME MINISTER) REPEATING ASSURANCES THAT THE 118 ARE BEING FAIRLY TREATED AND WILL BE TRIED IN OPEN COURT, ACCORDING. TO THE LAWS OF THE COUNTRY. IF AMNESTY'S CHARGES WERE TRUE, IT WOULD IMPLY CONSPIRACY ON A REMARKABLE SCALE AMONG THE HIGHEST AUTHORITIES HERE.

2. THE LATTER STATEMENT SHOULD IN ANY NORMAL

CIRCUMSTANCES BE ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH ALLEGATIONS OF SUBSTITUTION. IN ADDITION, OUR (VIETNAMESE)

LEGAL ADVISER INFORMS US THAT FOR THE FORTHCOMING TRIAL OR TRIALS, NOW SAID TO INVOLVE IN TOTAL 208 PERSONS (BUT COMPARE THE FIGURES IN THE PAPER HANDED TO THE POLAD HONG KONG BY THE VIETNAMESE CG ON 15 JULY) 100 HAVE ARRANGED DEFENCE COUNSEL AND 20

/WHO ARE

CONFIDENTIAL