TNAG-2955-FCO40-4232-Extradition-cases-from-the-UK-and-France-to-Hong-Kong-Lorrai-1993 — Page 5

CONFIDENTIAL

Hofc

Minister

HMA

SANIMAN

1. My minute of 8 November.

2.

From:

Date:

Matthew Rycroft

9 November 1993

In Rycroft

15 an

I apce

админа

کا

should

You

do

We showed be.

Gaeremynch. Hope or

Ct.

certain that Grassmen

Lan

that Wok 10

Mr Grossman (Deputy DPP, Hong Kong) and Bertolas (French lawyer for HKG) duly called on Saniman's lawyers on

8 November to offer Saniman the deal. As expected, Saniman's lawyers gave a non-commital response. Bertolas expects a substantive reply early next week. Since the offer is generous, he hopes that Saniman will accept it.

3. I rang Potocki (Head of International Affairs, Justice Ministry) this morning with three points:

I said that we did not wish to become directly involved in the Justice Ministry's defence of the extradition decree against Saniman's appeal. But if the Justice Ministry or Conseil d'Etat required extra background on eg post-1997 Hong Kong, then we would be happy to offer them some. He welcomed this. He noted that to date Saniman's appeal was not based on human rights in Hong Kong after 1997.

I asked that we be informed of the content of Saniman's detailed case, and of the Justice Ministry's proposed response. Potocki undertook to check whether this was possible with Mehaignerie's Cabinet.

I also asked that we be kept informed of the Justice Ministry's response to Saniman's latest wheeze to get out of prison (arguing that the 1990 HK warrant of arrest ceased to be enforceable after the government's earlier refusal to extradite him). Again, Potocki undertook to check with the Cabinet.

Comment: A better response than I had expected. The Justice Ministry do not have to keep us informed, but Potocki gave the impression of trying to help if he could. I passed all this on to our lawyers.

Sani4.0911

CONFIDENTIAL