CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1515
OF 231056Z SEPTEMBER 93
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON
نیم
243/1
31
074522
MDHIAN 6411
93
THRY
OUR TELNO 1429: HAN DONGFANG
Summary
1. Tip-off that Han plans high profile, but apparently non-violent and legal, protest on 24 September against China's continued refusal to allow him to return.
Detail
2 =
The Hong Kong Director of Asiawatch, who is in close touch with Han, has warned us that Han is planning some kind of public protest against China on 24 September, or shortly thereafter. Munro said that Han had become increasingly frustrated by the refusal of Chinese officials to listen to his case. He had recently handed the NCNA a letter to the Ministry of Public Security in response to the latter's statement last month (our telno 1386). The NCNA had refused to accept this and told him to deliver it to a Chinese Consulate: how he did this without a passport was his problem. This had been the straw that broke the camel's back.
3.
ht
Munro would not say what action Han planned. He assured us that it would be neither violent nor illegal, and that it would not force us to take action against Han. But he did think that the Chinese might complain to us about it. We said that we hoped Han would not do anything foolish. We could not be expected to welcome any action which created difficulties for us, particularly in view of the support and hospitality we had given Han: most recently, we had extended Han's permission to stay until 22 October.
It was hard to see what high-profile action could further Han's aim of getting the Chinese decision reversed. Munro admitted that he did not think that Han's planned gesture was wise.
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