TNAG-2355-FCO40-3426-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1991 — Page 124

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 535

OF 211615Z MAR 91

CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 026/9

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, BTC HONG KONG

40

012010

MDHOAN 0290

TOP COPY Q DIST?

35

FROM HKD

YOUR TELNO 860: SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO CHINA: HONG KONG RESIDENTS DETAINED IN CHINA

1. MANY THANKS FOR THIS HELPFUL INFORMATION.

2. WE HAVE HOWEVER NOW SEEN AN ARTICLE IN THE TIMES OF 20 MARCH, WRITTEN BY CATHERINE SAMPSON IN PEKING, WHICH MAKES SOME DISTURBING OBSERVATIONS ABOUT ONE DETAINED HONG KONG DISSIDENT, LUO HAIXING. THE ARTICLE:

(A) ALLEGES THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE NOT PROTESTED ABOUT THE CASE.

(B) QUOTES A LETTER FROM LUO IN WHICH HE COMPLAINS THAT HIS SENTENCE WAS ONE YEAR MORE THAN THAT OF WANG DAN.

(C) QUOTES BRITISH OFFICIALS AS SAYING THAT THERE IS LITTLE THEY CAN DO TO HELP, AS ANY HONG KONG PERSON TRAVELLING ON A 'RETURN HOME PERMIT' HAS IN EFFECT SURRENDERED THE RIGHT TO BRITISH CONSULAR PROTECTION.

3. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE SUGGESTED LINE FOR USE WITH THE CHINESE. BUT IT SEEMS VERY LIKELY THAT THE CASE OF LUO HAIXING WILL BE RAISED BY JOURNALISTS DURING THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT, EITHER IN PEKING OR IN HONG KONG. WE SHALL NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A CONVINCING RESPONSE TO PRESS QUESTIONS. THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL PRESUMABLY HAVE TO CONFIRM THAT HE DID RAISE THE LUO CASE (AND OTHERS) WITH THE CHINESE AND THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SEVERITY OF THE SENTENCES. GRATEFUL THEREFORE FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE ARTICLE, WHICH WE ARE FAXING TO YOU AND TO PEKING, AND FOR YOUR ADVICE ON PRESS HANDLING GENERALLY.

HURD