CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 07090OZ FCO
TELNO 1312
OF 070642Z JULY 89
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 020/14.
153
102425
MDHIAN 2346
ہیم کا نقلہ کا
PERSONAL FOR MCLAREN AND HEAD OF FE D.
HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR.“
EC REACTION TO EVENTS IN CHINA: POLITICAL GLOSSARY.
ерний
1. I OFFER THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS FOLLOWING MY CONVERSATION WITH
THE SECRETARY OF STATE RECENTLY IN HONG KONG.
2. AFTER THE MADRID SUMMIT, THERE WAS AN INTERESTING EXCHANGE OF VIEWS AT A MEETING OF THE TWELVE AMBASSADORS FOLLOWING THE MEASURES ANNOUNCED IN MADRID BY COMMUNITY LEADERS. ONE AMBASSADOR WONDERED WHETHER THE EUROPEANS WERE NOW FACING A RISK OF FALLING INTO A TRAP BY THE LOOSENESS OF OUR VOCABULARY. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION BROUGHT OUT THE FOLLOWING POINTS.
(A) THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES HAVE TAKEN SOME CARE TO ENSURE THAT THE THREE MEN EXECUTED IN SHANGHAI AND THE SEVEN EXECUTED IN PEKING WERE CONDEMNED FOR CRIMINAL OFFENCES AGAINST CHINESE LAW AND NOT FOR PROTESTING IN TIANANMEN SQUARE OR FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. THE THREE IN SHANGHAI HAD BURNT A TRAIN (ALTHOUGH WE KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE EXTENUATING) AND THE SEVEN IN PEKING WERE ACCUSED OF HAVING MURDERED AND ASSAULTED THE SECURITY FORCES ALBEIT IN THE COURSE OF A BRUTAL SUPPRESSION OF THE CITY'S PROTEST. THE SEVENTEEN DEATH SENTENCES CARRIED OUT IN SHANDONG WERE NOT RELATED TO THE EVENTS IN PEKING, ALTHOUGH THE TIMING INDIRECTLY GAVE A WARNING THAT THE AUTHORITIES WERE TAKING A TOUGH STAND AGAINST DISORDER AND LAWLESSNESS. LIKEWISE THE SIX CRIMINALS WITH 'VERY BAD RECORDS'' WHO WERE PUT TO DEATH IN CHANGSHA ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL LEGAL NEWSPAPER ON 23 JUNE, WERE SAID TO HAVE BEEN COMMON CRIMINALS NOT INVOLVED IN THE DEMONSTRATIONS. THE CONDEMNATION OF CHINA, THEREFORE, BY THE TWELVE FOR CARRYING OUT EXECUTIONS OF THOSE ''WHOSE ONLY CRIME HAD BEEN TO CLAIM THEIR LEGITIMATE DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS' IS CAPABLE OF BEING SHOWN UP BY THE CHINESE TO BE WIDE OF THE MARK IN A STRICTLY LITERAL SENSE.
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