TNAG-2605-FCO40-3793-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-residents-in-China-1992 — Page 91

50

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTED

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY PEKING

TELNO 402

OF 15120OZ MAY 92

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG

012574 MDLOAN 5718

مل

ры

8/5.

HKD 015/1

FROM FED

DETENTION OF MR BOB PARRY MP

SUMMARY

CHINESE AMBASSADOR FINALLY RESPONDS TO MR GOODLAD'S REPRESENTATIONS. MR PARRY WRITES LETTER OF APPRECIATION TO FCO.

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DETAIL

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AFTER SEVERAL PROMPTINGS BY HEAD OF FED (DAVIES' MINUTE OF 7 MAY COPIED TO YOU BY FAXLOK) THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR EVENTUALLY TELEPHONED MR GOODLAD ON 14 MAY. HE SAID THAT HE WAS SORRY TO HAVE TAKEN SO LONG IN RESPONDING TO THE MINISTER'S DEMARCHE OF 30 APRIL. THERE HAD BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING. HE HAD THOUGHT THAT DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN HEAD OF FED AND HIS COUNSELLOR HAD CLOSED THE AFFAIR.

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MA SAID THAT HE HAD CONVEYED TO HIS GOVERNMENT THE MINISTER'S CONCERN AND REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. HIS GOVERNMENT HAD RESPONDED TO YOU IN PEKING. SINCE THE INCIDENT INVOLVING MR PARRY HAD BEEN OVER SO RAPIDLY, A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS WHICH THE MINISTER HAD FEARED HAD NOT IN FACT OCCURRED. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN NOTE OF OUR CONCERNS. THEY HOPED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO REPETITION OF SUCH AN INCIDENT WHICH RISKED DISRUPTING OUR BILATERAL RELATIONS.

4. IN A SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT, MR PARRY HAS WRITTEN TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE EXPRESSING HIS THANKS TO THE FCO AND TO YOU FOR OUR INTERVENTION FOLLOWING HIS ARREST IN TIANANMEN SQUARE FOR QUOTE UNFURLING A BANNER CALLING FOR MORE DEMOCRACY, FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, AND FOR FREE TRADE UNIONS WITHIN THE CHINESE REPUBLIC UNQUOTE. MR PARRY HAS ASKED FOR A MEETING WITH MR GOODLAD TO DISCUSS HIS VISIT. HE HAS ASKED US TO CONVEY THANKS TO YOU FOR YOUR QUICK ACTION IN APPROACHING THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND ALSO

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