TNAG-2605-FCO40-3793-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-residents-in-China-1992 — Page 108

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ADVANCE COPY

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FM PEKING

TO DESKBY 010730Z F C O

TELNO 615

OF 010405Z MAY 92

HKD 015/1

AND TO DESKBY 01043OZ HONG KONG, B T C HONG KONG

147541

MDADAN 8245

0 1997

281

43

HONG KONG FOR POLAD

ว

FCO TELNO 358: DETENTION OF MR BOB PARRY, MP

SUMMARY

DEPUTY HEAD OF WED PROVIDES SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT. I EXPRESS OUR CONCERN AT A DISPROPORTIONATE CHINESE RESPONSE, LACK OF INFORMATION AND LACK OF ACCESS.

DETAIL

2. SONG SAW ME AT 0900 LOCAL TIME ON 1 MAY. HE EXPLAINED HE HAD ONLY BECAME AWARE OF THE DETAILS OF THE CASE EARLIER IN THE DAY. A BRITISH NATIONAL MR ROBERT PARRY HAD DELIBERATELY TRIED TO CAUSE TROUBLE IN TIANANMEN SQUARE. HIS ACTION WAS INCOMPATIBLE

WITH HIS TOURIST STATUS. HE HAD VIOLATED THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF CHINA. THE PUBLIC SECURITY BUREAU HAD ALREADY ASKED HIM TO LEAVE CHINA. THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES REGRETTED THAT A BRITISH NATIONAL HAD OPENLY TRIED TO CAUSE TROUBLE IN

TIANANMEN. THEY HOPED THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES AND THE EMBASSY WOULD TAKE ACTION TO STRENGTHEN THEIR ADMINISTRATION OVER THEIR NATIONALS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO ABIDE BY THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF CHINA IN ORDER TO AVOID UNPLEASANT INCIDENTS IN THE FUTURE.

3=

I UNDERTOOK TO REPORT SONG'S REMARKS. I WAS UNABLE TO COMMENT ON THE FACTS OF THE INCIDENT BECAUSE THE EMBASSY HAD BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN ACCESS TO MR PARRY DESPITE STRENUOUS EFFORTS BY MY STAFF. THE MFA WOULD NOW HAVE RECEIVED A REPORT OF AMBASSADOR MA'S MEETING WITH THE MINISTER OF STATE. SONG WOULD KNOW THAT MR GOODLAD HAD REFERRED TO PRESS REPORTS THAT MR PARRY HAD BEEN RETAINED FOR A LONG PERIOD. IF THESE REPORTS WERE ACCURATE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD REGARD THIS TREATMENT AS DISPROPORTIONATE AND UNACCEPTABLE. I ALSO TOLD SONG OUR CONCERN THAT DESPITE REPEATED MESSAGES TO DUTY OFFICERS IN WESTERN EUROPEAN DEPARTMENT AND PROTOCOL DEPARTMENT ASKING FOR AN URGENT

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