TNAG-2287-FCO40-3290-Chinese-personalities-involved-with-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 23

36

175144

MDHOAN 8681

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 1476

OF 12180OZ AUGUST 91

нисогот

CONFIDENTIAL

P

haagra

ра

red tel.

ГОР СОРУ Q DIST?

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PARIS

38

YOUR TELNO 2524: NCNA: CHEN ZHESHENG

2013/

1.

OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE FOR YOU TO COME CLEAN QUICKLY WITH NCNA ON THE INFORMATION IN IMMIGRATION RECORDS, TELLING THEM IN CONFIDENCE THAT ACCORDING TO THE RECORDS CHEN LEFT HONG KONG OF HIS OWN VOLITION ON 7 AUGUST ON A FLIGHT TO PARIS.

2.

►

WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD DO CHEN ANY HARM AT THIS STAGE. WE IMAGINE THAT THE CHINESE WILL QUICKLY OBTAIN THE FACTS THROUGH THEIR OWN RESEARCHES, IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY

FOR HKG TO WITHHOLD THIS EASILY-AVAILABLE INFORMATION COULD LOOK OBSTRUCTIVE OR PROVOCATIVE, WHEN THE CHINESE MIGHT CLAIM TO BE GENUINELY WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF ONE OF THEIR SENIOR OFFICIALS WHO HAS DISAPPEARED. NCNA MAY WELL SEE AN INTEREST IN TURNING PEKING'S IRE ONTO HKG, IF YOU GIVE THEM A CHANCE. THE CHINESE MAY TACKLE THE PRIME MINISTER IN PEKING ABOUT ''ANTI-CHINA' ACTIVITIES OR SUBVERSION CONDUCTED FROM

HONG KONG: OUR ARGUMENTS MAY BE MORE EFFECTIVE IF WE CAN KEEP

THE TEMPERATURE DOWN IN THE MEANTIME.

3.

IF YOU DO DECIDE TO GIVE THIS INFORMATION TO NCNA, THE ACTING POLITICAL ADVISER WILL WISH TO EMPHASISE THAT YOUR

COOPERATION SHOULD REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL AND THAT YOU CAN DO NO MORE TO HELP.

CHALKER

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

60

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

DISTRIBUTION

64

PUSD

RAD

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL