LYON, France: Interpol鈥檚 secretary general said Thursday that the international police organization鈥檚 rules forbid him from probing into the fate of the Chinese government official who served as Interpol president for almost two years before he vanished during a trip to China.
In his first public remarks about the disappearance of Meng Hongwei, Interpol Secretary General Juergen Stock said he 鈥渆ncouraged鈥� Chinese authorities to provide information about Meng鈥檚 location and legal status but can do no more.
Stock spoke to journalists as Interpol member prepare to elect a new president to replace Meng during a general assembly in Dubai on Nov. 18-21. Meng became the organization鈥檚 president in November 2016.
Chinese authorities said they detained Meng, 64, on bribery charges, though his wife has described him as a victim of political persecution. He was China鈥檚 vice minister of public security and appears to be the latest ranking Chinese official to have been caught in a sweeping purge under President Xi Jinping.
Stock said his organization learned of Meng鈥檚 disappearance on Oct. 5 via media reports that came out after Meng鈥檚 wife said she had not heard from him since the end of September and reported him missing.
Interpol contacted Beijing, asking for clarification, according to Stock. A high-level Chinese delegation arrived at Interpol鈥檚 Lyon headquarters on Oct. 7, reported that Meng had written a resignation letter and advised that he was no longer a delegate from China to Interpol 鈥� meaning he could no longer serve as president.
China鈥檚 Interpol office transmitted the resignation letter to Interpol headquarters later that day. Pressed on whether Interpol had assurances Meng actually wrote it or did so without duress, Stock hedged.
鈥淭here was no reason for me to (suspect) that anything was forced or wrong,鈥� he said.
Interpol appeared to accept the Chinese delegation鈥檚 explanation at face value and publicly announced that night that Meng had stepped down, without commenting on why or what happened.
Stock cited the structure and nature of the 192-member organization, which provides a platform for member nations to share information on criminal activities, and the vast needs it fulfills in trying to contain ballooning transnational crime. Interpol databases are queried 200 times each second by police around the world, he said.
鈥淲e are a rules-based organization. That is very important to understand,鈥� Stock said, adding that the role of Interpol is 鈥渘ot to govern over member states.鈥�
鈥淲e are not an investigative body,鈥� he said.
Stock said he is in 鈥渃onstant鈥� contact with the national central bureau in Beijing that serves as Interpol鈥檚 point of contact in China. As secretary general, Stock manages Interpol鈥檚 day-to-day activities, while the agency鈥檚 elected president has a less hands-on, more symbolic role.
鈥淲e are strongly encouraging China鈥� to come forth with details of Meng鈥檚 case, Stock said. He suggested Chinese officials would 鈥渨hen the right moment comes.鈥�
Meng鈥檚 wife, Grace Meng, told The Associated Press last month that she received threats after her husband disappeared. She and their two children are under police protection in Lyon.
鈥淭here is no doubt this is a very regrettable situation,鈥� Stock said. 鈥淏ut on the other hand, we have to ensure day-to-day operations ... continue.鈥�
He also conceded that Interpol must 鈥渕itigate negative impact鈥� springing from Meng鈥檚 disappearance.
Interpol acts as a clearinghouse for national police services that want to hunt down suspects outside their borders. Governments have repeatedly tried to use Interpol to find political enemies, even though its charter explicitly proclaims its neutrality and prohibits use of police notices for political reasons.
Stock said that ensuring the notices are not misused has been one of his priorities.