TNAG-2605-FCO40-3793-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-residents-in-China-1992 — Page 47

CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 05/1 नजा

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2019

OF 310945Z JULY 92

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INFO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

(6$

070532

MDHIAN 39&2

+

the boodan TOP COPY Q DIST?

6/8.

HAN DONGFANG: MEDICAL TREATMENT IN HONG KONG.

SUMMARY

1. USCG ASK US TO ALLOW HAN TO COME TO HONG KONG FOR MEDICAL

TREATMENT. WE ARE WILLING TO HELP.

DETAIL

2. THE USCG HAS TOLD US THAT HAN DONGFANG CA LEADER OF THE PEKING WORKERS' AUTONOMOUS FEDERATION IN 1989) WILL SHORTLY BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE CHINA TO TRAVEL TO THE U.S. HOWEVER, HE APPARENTLY HAS AN ACTIVE CASE OF TUBERCULOSIS AND IS THEREFORE BARRED BY INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE REGULATIONS FROM TRAVELLING BY AIR. THEY

HAVE ASKED IF WE WOULD BE WILLING TO ALLOW HIM TO ENTER HONG KONG FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT.

3. WE ARE NOT CLEAR JUST HOW BAD IS HAN'S TB. BUT WE ARE PREPARED TO ASSIST THE AMERICANS, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE HELP THEY HAVE GIVEN US OVER POLITICAL ASYLUM CASES. THEY HAVE GUARANTEED THAT HE WILL BE TRAVELLING ON TO THE U.S. WHEN HIS CONDITION PERMITS AND THAT ASIAWATCH WILL FUND HIS MEDICAL EXPENSES IN HONG KONG. (IF THE CASE IS A SERIOUS ONE, HAN MAY BE HERE FOR THREE MONTHS OR LONGER).

4. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF HOSPITALS IN HONG KONG WHICH COULD

HANDLE A CASE OF THIS SORT. BMH HAVE INDICATED INFORMALLY THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP (WE ARE NOW ASKING THEM FORMALLY).

AN ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE THE GRANTHAM HOSPITAL IN ABERDEEN (A NEW HOSPITAL AUTHORITY FACILITY). BUT IT WOULD BE LESS EASY TO

ISOLATE HAN THERE FROM PUBLIC ATTENTION.

5. WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR TO THE AMERICANS THAT WE DO NOT WISH TO

SEE ANY PUBLICITY SURROUNDING HAN'S STAY IN HONG KONG AND THAT HE

WILL BE EXPECTED TO SEE THROUGH HIS COURSE OF TREATMENT. BUT THERE IS OF COURSE THE RISK THAT NEWS WILL LEAK OUT. OUR LINE WILL BE THAT HAN HAS LEFT CHINA LEGALLY, IS IN NEED OF URGENT

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CONFIDENTIAL