TNAG-2909-FCO40-4183-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-residents-in-China-1993 — Page 18

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116071

MDHOAN 8845

18 OCT 1993

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INDE.

TO DESKBY 30180OZ UKMIS NEW YORK

TELNO 1075

OF 301658Z SEPTEMBER 93

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

UKMIS NEW YORK FOR HUM AND CULSHAW, SECRETARY OF STATES PARTY

HONG KONG TELNO 1548: ARREST OF MING PAO REPORTER XI YANG

1. IN THE LIGHT OF THE INFORMATION IN TUR, AND PARTICULARLY THE NEWSPAPER'S REQUEST THAT WE SHOULD NOT RAISE THE POLITICAL PROFILE OF THIS CASE YET, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHOULD NOT RAISE IT WITH QIAN.

2.

IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT THE MING PAO REPORTER WILL PRESS THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THE SUBJECT DURING THEIR ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW, BUT IT MAY WELL COME UP AT ANY COLLECTIVE SESSION WITH THE MEDIA AFTER THE MEETING WITH QIAN. WE HAVE THEREFORE INCLUDED SOME POINTS ON THIS DRAWN FROM TUR IN A SET OF BASIC BULL POINTS WHICH WE ARE FAXING TO HUM AND CULSHAW AS A BASIS FOR PREPARING NOTES FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEDIA APPEARANCES AFTER THE MEETING WITH QIAN.

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128

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116

.CHINA POLITICAL

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INFO D//BRIEFWRITERS

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EASD/ODA//MR MOSSELMANS

EASD/ODA//MR MCCLEAN

SEAD

PS

PS/BARONESS CHALKER

PS/MR GOODLAD

PS/PUS

MR LANKESTER

MR APPLEYARD

CHIEF CLERK SIR J COLES

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