TNAG-1878-FCO40-2669-Student-demonstrations-and-internal-political-situation-in-C-1989 — Page 40

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1113

OF 120855Z JUNE 89

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 020/14

(76)

001373

MDHIAN 8734

енный

enter

13/6

FOR NEWS DEPARTMENT.

HONG KONG FOR POLAD.

CHINA INTERNAL : PRESS ENQUIRIES

1.

I WAS TELEPHONED TODAY BY AN INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS REPORTER IN HMNG KONG WHO PUT TWO QUESTIONS TO ME:

A) WHAT INFORMATION DID WE HAVE ON THE HONG KONG STUDENT SAID TO BE DETAINED IN SHANGHAI ? AND

B) COULD I COMMENT ON THE MORALITY OR PRINCIPLE OF SHELTERING

PEOPLE IN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS?

2. I SAID ON (A) THAT WE WERE MAKING ENQUIRIES AND CONFIRMED THAT THESE HAD BEEN MADE IN SHANGHAI AND WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTRY IN

PEKING.

3.

I SAID ON THE SECOND QUESTION THAT ''I DO NOT LIKE ANSWERING

HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS. YOUR QUESTION IS ONE THAT RAISES ISSUES OF POLICY WHICH CAN ONLY BE ANSWERED IN LONDON''

DONALD.

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

182

.CHINA POLITICAL

LIMITED

FED

NEWS DEPT

DISTRIBUTION

193

RID

SPD

POD

PRU

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL

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