TNAG-2605-FCO40-3793-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-residents-in-China-1992 — Page 4

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MDHIAN 1705

DELEGATION WERE NOT ABLE EVEN TO ATTEND THE CHURCH SERVICE IN SHANGHAI WITHOUT THEIR MINDERS. WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS ON SECURITY GROUNDS, BUT IT WAS ALSO A SUFFICIENT DETERRENT FOR ANY MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION THINKING OF APPROACHING THE DELEGATION PRIVATELY. (THE CHURCH WARDENS PROVIDED THE BODYGUARD AND THE INTERPRETER WITH A BIBLE AND HYMN BOOK, SAYING THAT IF THEY INSISTED ON STICKING SO CLOSELY TO LORD HOWE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CHURCH SERVICE EXCLAM). ON THE OTHER HAND THE AUTHORITIES DID NOT SEEK TO PREVENT THE MEETING WITH FAMILIES OF IMPRISONED DISSIDENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE AT THE OUTSET OF THE VISIT BEFORE LORD HOWE'S ARRIVAL. NOR DID THE CHINESE COMPLAIN ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS.

8. THERE WERE SOME OTHER REASONS FOR OPTIMISM. THE DELEGATION WERE FOR EXAMPLE ENCOURAGED BY WHAT THEY WERE TOLD ABOUT LAWS NOW BEING DRAFTED. A LAW DEALING WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF LAWYERS IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION: ''LEGAL CIRCLES HAVE APPARENTLY RECOMMENDED INCLUSION OF THE RIGHT TO ACCESS BY LAWYERS AT THE TIME OF THEIR CLIENTS' DETENTION. A LAW SEEKING TO DEFINE LEGITIMATE RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES IS ALSO UNDER CONSIDERATION.

CONCLUSIONS

9. THE EXPERIENCE GAINED FROM DEALING WITH PREVIOUS WESTERN HUMAN RIGHTS DELEGATIONS SHOWED IN THE WAY THE CHINESE HANDLED LORD HOWE'S MISSION. THE MEETINGS AND VISITS WERE DESIGNED TO GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF DIALOGUE WHILE CONCEDING LITTLE IF ANYTHING ON SUBSTANCE. THE DELEGATION WERE CAREFULLY 'MINDED' THROUGHOUT THEIR VISIT TO ENSURE AS FAR AS POSSIBLE THAT THEY HAD NO OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THOSE WHO MIGHT OFFER VIEWS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE PRESENTED TO THEM IN THEIR OFFICIAL MEETINGS. YET A GOOD ATMOSPHERE WAS MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT, AND LORD HOWE AND HIS COLLEAGUES FELT THAT THEY HAD ADDED A LITTLE TO THE SUM OF WESTERN KNOWLEDGE IN SOME AREAS OF THEIR ENQUIRY, AND THAT SOME OF THEIR ARGUMENTS HAD PERHAPS HAD SOME IMPACT ON THEIR INTERLOCUTORS.

10. I AM GRATEFUL TO LORD HOWE FOR THE SKILLFUL AND PATIENT WAY IN WHICH HE HANDLED THE VARIOUS MEETINGS. THE MISSION INVOLVED A SUBSTANTIAL COMMITMENT OF TIME AND EFFORT ON HIS PART, AND ON THAT OF HIS COLLEAGUES. IT ALSO MADE CONSIDERABLE DEMANDS ON THE RESOURCES OF THIS EMBASSY, AND ON THE DEPARTMENT IN LONDON, BOTH DURING THE MANY WEEKS OF PREPARATION AND IN TERMS OF SUPPORT WHILE THE DELEGATION WERE IN CHINA.

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