TNAG-2355-FCO40-3426-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1991 — Page 95

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO IMMEDIATE F CO

TELNO 378

OF 250824Z MARCH 91

CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 026/9

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, B T C HONG KONG

TOP COPY ODIST ?

52

017406

MDHIAN 9389

Mar Monis.

FOR H K D.

HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR PA.

YOUR TELNO 535. SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO CHINA: HONG KONG RESIDENTS DETAINED IN CHINA.

1.

CATHERINE SAMPSON'S ARTICLE IS SOMEWHAT DISINGENUOUS. THE COMMENTS SHE ATTRIBUTES TO BRITISH OFFICIALS WERE IN FACT MADE BY AN EMBASSY OFFICER IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT HONG KONG DRUG SMUGGLERS RECENTLY EXECUTED IN GUANGDONG. MS SAMPSON WAS NOT (NOT) ASKING ABOUT LUO HAIXING. THE EMBASSY OFFICER CONCERNED EXPLAINED THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES REGARDED THOSE TRAVELLING ON ''RETURN HOME DOCUMENTS'' AS CHINESE NATIONALS AND THEREFORE DID NOT ALLOW THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES CONSULAR ACCESS. THE LAST SENTENCE OF MS SAMPSON'S ARTICLE IS HER INTERPRETATION OF THIS, NOT (NOT) EMBASSY COMMENT.

2. WE HAVE IN FACT BEEN TRYING TO FIND A WAY ROUND THE IMPASSE OF OFFERING CONSULAR PROTECTION TO HONG KONGERS ON THE MAINLAND. OUR CONSUL-GENERAL HAS REPEATLY ASKED CONSULAR DEPARTMENT OF THE MFA IF HE COULD DISCUSS THIS PROBLEM INFORMALLY. CONSULAR DEPARTMENT

HAS CONSISTENTLY REPLIED THAT THE ISSUE IS TOO DIFFICULT''.

3.

WHILE WE APPRECIATE THE PRESSURES FROM THE PRESS TO RAISE THIS

WITH THE CHINESE, WE SHALL NEED TO HANDLE IT CAREFULLY IF WE DO NOT WANT IT TO SOUR THE ATMOSPHERE, OR TO DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD. LUO HAIXING IS A PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE CASE, GRANTED HIS FATHER'S HISTORY OF A CONVICTION IN A CHINESE COURT ON CHARGES OF SPYING

FOR THE CIA AND LUO'S OWN BACKGROUND AS A RED GUARD DIGGING UP ''DIRT'' ON THE SENIOR CHINESE LEADERSHIP. THERE IS ALSO THE PROBLEM OF RAISING LUO'S CASE WITH THE CHINESE WITHOUT STIMULATING

THEM INTO A LONG DISQUISITION ON HONG KONG AS A BASE FOR

SUBVERSION.

DONALD

1

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