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INTERVALS SINCE THE MID-AUGUST EXCHANGES WHETHER ANY DECISION OF PRINCIPLE HAD BEEN REACHED. DURING HIS FAREWELL VISIT TO CANTON ON 7/8 OCTOBER PA WAS TOLD THAT SHENZHEN AUTHORITIES WERE BELEIVED TO HAVE DECIDED AGAINST SENDING WITNESSES TO HONG KONG (SEE PARA O OF ENCLOSURE TO WILSON'S LETTER OF 9 OCTOBER TO CLIFT, COPIED TO PEKING).
Ree (97)
4. LI RUOHE OF NCNA RAISED THIS CASE AGAIN WITH ACTING PA ON 14 OCTOBER. LI SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOON THE REMARKS MADE TO WILSON IN CANTON TO BE A DEFINITIVE REPLY TO THE PROPOSAL THAT SHENZHEN PROVIDE WITNESSES, AND THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES STILL HOPED THAT
EN
COULD BE ARRESTED AND SENT BACK TO CHINA. LI ALSO SAID THAT SON HAD ENTERD HONG KONG ILLEGALLY IN MID-SEPTEMBER AND HAD BEEN HARBOURED BY HIS FATHER WHO HAD THEREBY COMMITTED AN OFFICE FOR WHICH HE COULD BE ARRESTED IMMEDIATELY. HE COULD THEN BE DEPORTED TO CHINA AT THE END OF ANY TERM OF IMPRISONMENT TO WHICHHE MIGHT BE SENTENCED. ACTING PA REMINDED LI OF THE LIMITS IMPOSED BY THE LAW ON THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS ACTIONS WHICH HAD BEEN CAREFULLY EXPLAINED TO NONA INTHE PAST.HE UNDERTOOK TO INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGATIONS ABOUT
SON.
5. SUBJECT TO YOUR AND THE FCO'S VIEWS, YOU MIGHT DRAW ON THE ABOVE
IN REPLY TO LIANG AND MAKE THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL POINTS: (A) THIS COMPLEX MATTER HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF DETAILED DISCUSSION IN HONG KONG. THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES HAVE MADE CLEAR THEIR DESIRE TO COOPERATE WITHIN THE LIMITS IMPOSED BY THE LAW BY WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ITSELF IS BOUND.
(B) DETAILED PROPOSALS FOR A SOLUTION WERE PROMPTLY PUT FORWARD WHEN THE ISSUE WAS RAISED. THE CHINESE SIDE TOOK A VERY CONSIDERABLE TIME TO CONSIDER THESE PROPOSALS AND THE REPLY WAS CONVEYED INA SOMEWHAT INDIRECT MANNER.
(C) THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES ARE NOT MAKING EXCUSES FOR NOT
RETURNING
(D) FURTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED BY NCNA IS BEING URGENTLY INVESTIGATED.
IF YOU AND THE ECO AGREE, WE MIGHT TAKE A SIMILAR LINE WITH NCNA,
EXPRESSING SURPRISE THAT THE MATTER SHOULD HAVE BEEN RAISED
INSUCH A WAY IN PEKING WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER ACTIVE CONSIDERATION
IN HONG KONG.
MACLEHOSE
MINCHAL
FED
HEGD
Perso
NEWSO
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