TNAG-2604-FCO40-3792-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-residents-in-China-1992 — Page 38

RESTRICTED

HKD 015/1

RESTRICTED

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 663

OF 15180OZ APRIL 92

AND TO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

32

107276

MDLOAN 3359

р.а.

pajis/4

TOP COPY Q DIST?

30

31

YOUR TELNO 1059 AND PEKING TELNO 537: HONG KONG RESIDENTS

DETAINED IN CHINA:

1.

THIS IS GOOD NEWS IF TRUE. THE FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW OF 16 APRIL QUOTES TAO SIJU AS CONFIRMING THAT THE TWO LIS ARE TO BE RELEASED. WE AGREE THAT PEKING SHOULD FOLLOW UP THIS STORY WITH THE MFA.

2.

ALTHOUGH, AS YOU SAY, THE TWO LIS ARE THE LAST HONG KONG RESIDENTS DETAINED IN CONNECTION WITH THE TIANANMEN SQUARE INCIDENTS, THERE IS ANOTHER HONG KONG DETAINEE STILL IN PRISON:

WHO WAS ARRESTED IN NOVEMBER 1990 AND SENTENCED IN APRIL 1991 TO 5 YEARS. AT PEKING'S DISCRETION, IT MIGHT BE WORTH TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY OF A CALL ON THE MFA TO REITERATE OUR REQUEST THAT WU SHOULD BE RELEASED ON COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS.

HURD

YYYY

MAIN

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DISTRIBUTION

56

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

HKD

PUSD

FED//HD

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

.AND MS BROOKS

NEWS D PLANNERS

RAD

PS/MR GOODLAD

PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

SIR J COLES

MR BURNS

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