CONFIDENTIAL
TO DESKBY 01120OZ F C O
FM HONG KONG
TELNO 1191
OF 01104OZ MAY 92
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, BTC HONG KONG
(42)
43
Mr. Rochells
fi
AID ASL.
RECEIVE
then
O 5 MAY 1992
(4:4
45
150521
MDHIAN 2381
ра ро
B
ёв
do
YOUR TELNO 358 AND PEKING TELNOS 615 AND 616: DETENTION OF MR BOB PARRY MP
1.
4/5
MR PARRY AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION ARRIVED IN HONG KONG MID-MORNING ON 1 MAY, HAVING BEEN PUT ON FLIGHT CA101 BY THE CHINESE. THEY WERE MET BY HONG KONG UNION LEADERS, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE APRIL 5 ACTION GROUP (A RADICAL ANTI- CHINESE GROUP) AND LAU SAN-CHING (WHO WAS RECENTLY RELEASED AFTER 10 YEARS DETENTION IN CHINA).
2.
WE OFFERED MR PARRY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ON ARRIVAL, HAVING HEARD THAT HE WAS FEELING UNWELL IN PEKING AFTER HIS EXPERIENCES, BUT HE SAID THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY. WE ALSO FACILITATED A PRESS CONFERENCE. OVER 40 JOURNALISTS ATTENDED.
3. MR PARRY SAID THAT THE GROUP HAD BEEN HELD UNDER HOUSE ARREST FOR NEARLY 17 HOURS. THEY WERE ''NOT MISTREATED, BUT HANDLED ROUGHLY. THEIR INTERROGATION WAS 'NOT HOSTILE, BUT SEVERE''. THE PARTY HAD BEEN FULLY AWARE OF THE RECENT EXPERIENCE OF THE CANADIAN AND US GROUPS, AND KNEW THAT THEY COULD BE ARRESTED. HE HAD NO REGRETS.
4.
IT WAS PUT TO HIM THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG DID NOT GENERALLY SUPPORT SUCH KINDS OF ACTIVITY AGAINST CHINA AND THAT SUCH ACTION WAS COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE AND AFFECTED CONFIDENCE. MR PARRY DID NOT AGREE. HE SAID THAT HE KNEW OF MANY WHO WOULD SUPPORT HIM AND THE GROUP AND WHO WOULD WELCOME THE FACT THAT SOME EUROPEANS WERE PREPARED TO RAISE THEIR VOICES ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND CHINA. HE DECLINED TO GIVE A VIEW ON HOW MR PATTEN SHOULD HANDLE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA.
5. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD REPORT TO HMG WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE FELT THAT THE MATTER SHOULD BE RAISED AT THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS. THE POSITION SHOULD BE MADE QUITE CLEAR TO THE CHINESE ABOUT THEIR ABUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.