TNAG-2861-FCO40-4115-Expulsion-of-Han-Dongfang--Chinese-dissident--from-China-to--1993 — Page 77

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THAT HAN'S EXPULSION HAD VIOLATED INTERNATIONAL LAW. YANG CLAIMED THAT IT HAD BEEN A LEGAL ACTION, BUT WOULD NOT EXPLAIN WHETHER HE WAS REFERRING TO CHINA'S OWN LAWS, OR TO CHINA'S

INTERPRETATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW. HE MADE CLEAR THAT THOUGH THE INITIAL ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN BY THE GUANGDONG PUBLIC SECURITY AUTHORITIES, CHINA'S POSITION ON HAN WAS CONSIDERED AND DEFINITIVE. IT WAS ONLY AFTER REPEATED REQUESTS THAT HE EVENTUALLY UNDERTOOK TO

REPORT OUR APPROACH.

5. WE HAVE BEEN UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE PRESS TO COMMENT ON HAN'S

EXPULSION. FOLLOWING THE MEETING WITH THE NCNA, WE ISSUED A BRIEF PRESS RELEASE (TEXT BY FAX) STATING THAT WE HAD EXPRESSED SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT THE EXPULSION AND CALLED ON CHINA TO ALLOW

HAN'S RETURN.

COMMENT.

6.

YANG'S STANCE WAS DEPRESSING BUT, GIVEN THE PUBLIC POSITION WHICH THE CHINESE HAVE NOW ADOPTED, PREDICTABLE. HAN REPORTEDLY RECEIVED A SIMILAR RESPONSE WHEN HE VISITED THE NCNA OFFICE ON 17 AUGUST. THE CHANCES OF AN EARLY CHINESE U-TURN SEEM SLIM, PARTICULARLY SINCE IT WOULD NOW BE HARD TO EXECUTE ONE IN A FACE SAVING WAY.

7.

BUT SEEN FROM HERE, IT IS TOO EARLY TO CONCLUDE THAT THE DOOR WILL REMAIN INDEFINITELY CLOSED. ANOTHER NCNA OFFICIAL HAS INDICATED INFORMALLY TO US THAT HE REGRETS THE AVOIDABLE INTERNATIONAL DAMAGE WHICH HAN'S CASE IS DOING TO CHINA. CHINA EVENTUALLY ALLOWED ENTRY TO THE DISSIDENT JOURNALIST DAI QING IN MAY 1992, AFTER SHE HAD INTIALLY BEEN BARRED, ON INSTRUCTIONS FROM PEKING, FROM BOARDING A FLIGHT THERE FROM HONG KONG.

8.

SOON.

FORD

THE WAY FORWARD WILL DEPEND PARTLY ON HAN'S ACTIONS. BUT WE ARE NOW CONSIDERING OUR OWN LIKELY OPTIONS, AND WILL REVERT ON THESE

YYYY

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