TNAG-2955-FCO40-4232-Extradition-cases-from-the-UK-and-France-to-Hong-Kong-Lorrai-1993 — Page 9

CONFIDENTIAL

MUD 384/1

RECE

2 2 NOV 1993

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PARIS

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1175

OF 191306Z NOVEMBER 93

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

helpful..

22/11

PY DIST?

(98

070761

MDLIAN 1188

MY TELNO 1108: EXTRADITION TO HONG KONG FROM FRANCE OF SANIMAN

SUMMARY

96

1.

SANIMAN STILL IN PRISON.

HELPFUL JUSTICE MINISTRY LINE. WE

INFORM JUSTICE MINISTRY OF CONTACTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND SANIMAN'S LAWYERS.

DETAIL

2. THE MAIN POINTS SINCE TUR ARE:

SANIMAN IS STILL IN PRISON, DESPITE HIS VARIOUS CONTORTED LEGAL ARGUMENTS TO GET OUT.

THE JUSTICE MINISTRY ARE TAKING A HELPFUL LINE SQUASHING THESE ARGUMENTS.

-

MR GROSSMAN (DEPUTY DPP, HONG KONG) HAS PROPOSED TO SANIMAN'S LAWYERS IN PARIS A POSSIBLE DEAL: IF SANIMAN RETURNS TO HONG KONG IMMEDIATELY (IE WITHOUT CONTINUING WITH HIS APPEAL TO THE CONSEIL D'ETAT), PLEADS GUILTY AND GIVES EVIDENCE AGAINST TAN, THEN THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WILL PROSECUTE HIM ON ONLY ONE OR TWO OF THE FIVE CHARGES. NO SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE YET FROM SANIMAN.

WE HAVE INFORMED THE JUSTICE MINISTRY IN VAGUE TERMS OF THIS OFFER, TO GUARD AGAINST THEM TAKING IT THE WRONG WAY WERE THEY TO FIND OUT THROUGH OTHER MEANS.

3. THE NEXT STEPS FOR US HERE AND OUR LAWYERS ARE TO ENSURE THAT THE JUSTICE MINISTRY CONTINUE TO OPPOSE SANIMAN'S ATTEMPTS TO BE FREED, AND WHEN THE TIME COMES OPPOSE SANIMAN'S DETAILED CASE FOR APPEAL TO THE CONSEIL D'ETAT. ON BOTH COUNTS, THE SIGNS OF JUSTICE MINISTRY COOPERATION ARE INCREASINGLY ENCOURAGING.

MALLABY

1

PAGE CONFIDENTIAL