CHINESE ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN FRENCH EMBASSY IN HANOI

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002573 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/10 TAGS: PREF PREL CH FR VM CVR HUMANR SUBJECT: CHINESE ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN FRENCH EMBASSY IN HANOI REF: BEIJING 11645 ¶1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY DCM DOUGLAS G. HARTER, REASON 1.5(B,D) . ¶2. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION CABLE. SEE PARAS 8-11. ¶3. (S) LATE AFTERNOON NOVEMBER 24 FRENCH AMBASSADOR SECRET PAGE 02 HANOI 02573 01 OF 02 271303Z INFORMED U.S. AMBASSADOR THAT TWO CHINESE NATIONALS, SUN WEIBANG AND JIANG JINGSHI, WERE UNDER PROTECTIVE CUSTODY AT THE FRENCH EMBASSY. ACCORDING TO THE FRENCH, THE ULTIMATE INTENTION OF THE TWO INDIVIDUALS IS TO SEEK POLITICAL ASYLUM IN THE U.S.. SUN TOLD THE FRENCH HE IS A DISSIDENT WHO WAS ARRESTED DURING THE TIANANMEN SQUARE TURMOIL IN 1989 AND WAS IMPRISONED FOR 10 YEARS. THE OTHER MAN WAS IDENTIFIED ONLY AS SUN'S TRAVELLING COMPANION. ¶4. (S) THE FRENCH EMBASSY CONDUCTED INITIAL INTERVIEWS WITH SUN AND JIANG NOV 24 AND 25 AND PASSED INFORMATION LOCALLY TO U.S. EMBASSY. SUN REPORTEDLY TOLD THE FRENCH HE WAS "APPROVED" FOR ASYLUM IN THE U.S. WITHIN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, BUT WHEN HE WENT TO THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BEIJING TO RECEIVE THE NECESSARY AUTHORIZATIONS AND DOCUMENTATION FOR ENTRY INTO THE U.S., CHINESE SECURITY OFFICIALS REMOVED HIM FROM THE WAITING LINE (PRESUMABLY THE CONSULAR WAITING LINE) AND ESCORTED HIM AWAY. AUTHORITIES TOLD SUN HE WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXIT CHINA TO TRAVEL TO THE U.S.. A FEW DAYS LATER, SUN TRAVELLED BY TRAIN TO THE SINO- VIETNAMESE BORDER AND THERE JOINEO A CHINESE TOUR GROUP, ALLOWING HIM TO OBTAIN A BORDER PASS VALIO FOR FOUR DAYS -- WHICH EXPIRED NOV 26. SUN SAIO THAT JIANG IS SIMPLY AN ACQUAINTANCE WHO TRAVELLED WITH HIM. NEITHER PERSON IS IN POSSESSION OF A PRC PASSPORT. (NOTE: IT IS SIMPLE ANO FAIRLY COMMON FOR CHINESE TO CROSS INTO VIETNAM ON LIMITED BOROER PASSES FOR TOURISM OR TRAOE. WHILE SUN'S ACCOUNT IS PLAUSIBLE ON THIS SCORE, HIS ASSOCIATION WITH JIANG -- ANO SECRET PAGE 03 HANOI 02573 01 OF 02 271303Z JIANG'S OSTENSIBLE BASIS FOR AN ASYLUM REQUEST -- IS MURKIER. END NOTE) ¶5. (S) SUN REQUESTEO PERMISSION FROM THE FRENCH EMBASSY TO TRAVEL TO FRANCE TO ATTEND A LITERARY CONFERENCE WHICH IS APPARENTLY SCHEDULED IN PARIS. FROM THERE, SUN AND JIANG PLANNED TO APPROACH THE U.S. EMBASSY IN PARIS WITH A REQUEST FOR POLITTCAL ASYLUM. SUN ALSO CLAIMED THAT A COLLEAGUE, WHOSE NAME THE FRENCH RENDERED IN WRITING AS LI YUCON (POSSIBLE ALTERNATES LI YUCUN OR LI YUKAN),WAS CURRENTLY RESIDING IN THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BEIJING (PRESUMABLY WITH A SIMILAR ASYLUM REQUEST). ¶6. (C) INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS PRESS AND HUMAN- RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS TENOS TO SUBSTANTIATE SUN'S CLAIM TO DISSIDENT STATUS, IF HIS IDENTITY CAN BE SUBSTANTIATED (OR IF NOT SUGGESTS HE AT LEAST DID HIS HOMEWORK). SUN WEIBANG WAS EDITOR OF A DISSIDENT DEMOCRATIC JOURNAL ENTITLED "HAILANG HUA" (SEA-WAVE FLOWER) IN 1979 AND POSTED BIG-CHARACTER POSTERS DURING THE 1979 DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT. HE WAS ARRESTED AND SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN PRISON IN 1981 FOR THESE ACTIVITIES. IN 1989, SUN REPORTEDLY RAN A SMALL RESTAURANT THAT PROVIDED FREE MEALS TO STUDENT PROTESTORS DURING THE DEMONSTRATIONS THAT CULMINATED IN THE TIANANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE. HE WAS ARRESTED ANO SENTENCEO TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON; HE WAS PAROLEO IN FEBRUARY 1999. IN OCTOBER 1999, AFTER ALLEGEDLY VISITING THE FAMILY OF DISSIDENT DEMOCRACY PARTY FOUNDER XU WENLI, SUN WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN RE- SECRET PAGE 04 HANOI 02573 01 OF 02 271303Z ARRESTED. ¶7. (S) ON THE OTHER HANO, INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE FRENCH THUS FAR STOPS FAR SHORT OF ESTABLISHING SUN'S IDENTITY POSITIVELY AND EXPLAINING THE PRESENCE/STATUS OF JIANG JINGSHI. HANOI UNDERSTANDS U.S. EMBASSY BEIJING DOES NOT POSSESS ANY INFORMATION TO CONFIRM OR EXPLAIN SUN'S CLAIMS THAT HE HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE EMBASSY, AND THAT THE EMBASSY HAS NOT BEEN IN TOUCH WITH LI YUCON. ¶8. (S) ACTION REQUESTS: DEPARTMENT: EMBASSY WILL KEEP ALL ADDRESSEES FULLY UP TO DATE ON ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS. AT THIS POINT IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE FRENCH WILL DECIDE TO ASSIST SUN ANO JIANG, OR TURN THEM OUT IN THE STREET -- IN WHICH CASE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THEY MAY TURN UP HERE. IN THE LATTER EVENTUALITY, EMBASSY WILL NEEO TO CONSIOER OPTIONS FOR OEALING WITH AT LEAST SUN. REQUEST OEPARTMENT VIEWS ON THIS CONTINGENCY. (NOTE: IN A MEETING WITH THE U.S. AMBASSADOR NOV 24, FRENCH AMBASSAOOR IMPLIED HIS CURRENT "INSTRUCTIONS" LIKELY INVOLVED TRYING TO GET AT LEAST SUN OUT OF THE COUNTRY. AMBASSAOOR PETERSON SUGGESTEO HE CONTACT THE UNHCR OFFICE IN BANGKOK TO DETERMINE WHAT IT MIGHT DO TO HELP. END NOTE) ¶9. (S) BEIJING: REQUEST ANY FURTHER INFORMATION EMBASSY MAY BECOME AWARE OF RELEVANT TO SUN, JIANG, AND/OR LI. SECRET PAGE 02 HANOI 02573 02 OF 02 271303Z ¶10. (S) PARIS: INFORMATION ABOVE MAY BE SHARED WITH APPROPRIATE FRENCH OFFICIALS AT EMBASSY'S DISCRETION. ¶11. (S) GENEVA: THERE IS NO LONGER A UNHCR PRESENCE IN HANOI. WE MAY NEEO TO CONTACT UNHCR THROUGH YOU OR BANGKOK IF THE USG HAS A MORE DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN THIS CASE. AFTER MUCH PUSHING ANO PROODING, UNHCR AND TAHE SWEOISH EMBASSY FACILITATEO ANOTHER SUCH CASE IN HANOI IN 1997-98. PETERSON SECRET