RESTRICTED
HKCD 015/1
sti
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELNO 1207
OF 04110OZ MAY 92
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, BTC HONG KONG
then
Mr. Ricketts,
fi
47
T54024
MDLIAN 2959
QB
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"Jo 4/5
45
OUR TELNO 1191: DETENTION OF MR BOB PARRY, MP
PRESS REPORTS
SUMMARY
1.
PROMINENT PRESS COVERAGE OF EXPULSION OF THE 7 EUROPEAN ACTIVISTS AND THEIR ARRIVAL IN HK. LIMITED EDITORIAL COMMENT, ALL OF IT UNFAVOURABLE TO MR PARRY'S GROUP
DETAIL
2. THE HK MEDIA WIDELY REPORTED THE EXPULSION OF MR PARRY AND HIS FELLOW PROTESTERS AND THEIR ARRIVAL IN HK. REPORTS NOTED THAT THE GROUP WAS GIVEN A WARM WELCOME AT KAI TAK AIRPORT BY HK UNION ACTIVISTS INCLUDING LAU SAN-CHING AND MEMBERS OF APRIL 5 ACTION GROUP. MR PARRY WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE DEMONSTRATION WAS STAGED AFTER THE GROUP HAD TRIED IN VAIN TO SECURE A MEETING WITH THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE TO DISCUSS ISSUES RELATING TO HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOUR UNIONS.
3.
MOST PAPERS REPORTED A CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN AS SAYING THAT THE GROUP HAD DELIBERATELY TRIED TO MAKE TROUBLE AND THAT THEIR ACTIONS WERE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THEIR STATUS. AN FCO SPOKESMAN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE ACTION OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WAS INAPPROPRIATE AND UNACCEPTABLE CONSIDERING THAT THE GROUP HAD ONLY DISPLAYED A BANNER AND DISTRIBUTED LEAFLETS. SIR R, MCLAREN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE REACTION HAD BEEN EXCESSIVE AND THAT HE WAS FRUSTRATED AT NOT BEING ABLE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON ACCESS. REPORTS NOTED THAT THE FCO HAD YET TO RECEIVE AN EXPLANATION FROM THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES.
4.
SOME PAPERS REPORTED THAT AMBASSADOR MA HAD BEEN SUMMONED TO THE FCO TO EXPLAIN THE DETENTION OF MR PARRY AND THE OTHERS, AND THAT THE SWISS, GERMAN AND FRENCH EMBASSIES HAD EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE INCIDENT AND HAD LODGED COMPLAINTS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES.
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