Thursday, July 19, 2012

China to quiz French national in Bo case



BEIJING: French citizen Patrick Devillers (52), detained in Cambodia on Beijing's request last month, was flown to Shanghai on Wednesday for questioning in connection with a British national's murder for which former ruling Communist Party heavyweight Bo Xilai's wife, Gu Kailai, has been charged.

Devillers, an architect, is known to have been close to the Bos and the British national , Neil Heywood, who was allegedly poisoned to death in a hotel room in November 2011. His statement to the Chinese police is said to be crucial to the case. He lived in China before moving to Cambodia.

"China wants him (Devillers ) as a witness," a report from Phnom Penh quoted Cambodian interior ministry spokesman as saying. China has assured Cambodia that Devillers will only be required for up to 60 days before being allowed to return.

The Cambodian minister said nobody from the French embassy in Phnom Penh was accompanying Devillers. Foreign missions usually demand they be allowed to provide consular service to their citizens in such cases.

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