TNAG-2604-FCO40-3792-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-residents-in-China-1992 — Page 88

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ALSO OF COURSE AMONG THOSE RAISED BY THE PRIME MINISTER.

5. IN THE END THE CHINESE RELEASED LAU AT THE END OF HIS TEN YEAR SENTENCE. IT IS NOT/NOT TRUE TO SAY THAT NOTHING HAD BEEN DONE TO ENQUIRE ABOUT HIM, ALTHOUGH IN PRISON LAU WOULD PRESUMABLY NEVER HAVE KNOWN ABOUT OUR APPROACHES TO THE CHINESE. IT IS HOWEVER TRUE TO SAY THAT OUR REPRESENTATIONS MET WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE FROM THE CHINESE.

6. WE CANNOT RECALL ANY VIOLENT INCIDENTS OUTSIDE NCNA'S OFFICE IN 1989, NOR DO WE HAVE ANY RECORD OF COMPLAINTS. WE BELIEVE THE SECOND POINT REFERS TO A SCUFFLE WHICH TOOK PLACE OUTSIDE THE

NCNA'S ANNUAL NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTRE

(NOT/NOT NCNA'S OFFICES) ON 29 SEPTEMBER 1989, WHERE A NUMBER OF DEMONSTRATORS CLASHED WITH POLICE. THE MOOD AT THE TIME WAS UGLY, WITH DEMONSTRATORS SHOUTING AND SPITTING AT GUESTS ARRIVING AT

THE RECEPTION. POLICE HAD TO TAKE RESTRAINING ACTION AGAINST A

CROWD THAT AT ONE STAGE TURNED VIOLENT. THREE ALLEGATIONS WERE MADE AGAINST THE POLICE FOLLOWING THIS INCIDENT, TWO OF ASSAULT AND ONE OF NEGLECT OF DUTY. THESE WERE NOT IGNORED BUT THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED, AS ARE ALL COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE. THE ALLEGATIONS WERE UNSUBSTANTIATED AND THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION CONFIRMED BY THE POLICE COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE (AN INDEPENDENT WATCH DOG). LAU WAS OF COURSE IN PRISON IN CHINA THROUGHOUT THESE EVENTS AND CAN HAVE NO PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THEM.

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LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

SIR J COLES

MR BURNS

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