CPS 400
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 206438Z
CONFIDENTIAL
ADVANCE COPY
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TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 82 OF 20 JANUARY INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON
UKKIS NEW YORK UKMIS GENEVA,
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YOUR TELNO 151 TO WASHINGTON: UN COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS.
WE RECOGNISE THE FORCE OF THE ARGUMENTS IN PARA 4 OF YOUR TELEGRAM
UNDER REFERENCE AND ARE PARTICULARLY CONSCIOUS OF THE POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES MENTIONED IN (V) OF THIS PARAGRAPH. BUT FOLLOWING THE
BAN BY THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT ON OPIUM PRODUCTION ABOUT HALF THE
WORLD'S ILLICIT SUPPLY OF OPIUM IS OF COURSE GROWN IN THE SO-CALLED
QUOTE GOLDEN TRIANGLE UNQUOTE: IT THEREFORE SEEMS TO US PROBABLE
THAT THE AMERICANS WILL PRESS HARD FOR A SOUTH-EAST ASTAN
SUB-COMMISSION, INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IS ESSENTIAL IF THE
ILLICIT TRAFFIC, IN WHICH WE ARE CLOSELY INVLOVED, IS TO BE STOPPED,
AND THE AMERICANS HERE LAY GREAT STORE BY IT.
2, FROM HONG KONG'S FOINT OF VIEW WE CAN SEE CONSIDERABLE ADVANTAGE
IN A PROPERLY SERVICED SOUTH-EAST ASIAN SUB-COMMISSION TO MEET
ANNUALLY, IT WOULD DO AWAY WITH AD HOC REGIONAL MEETINGS WICH ARE
SPONSORED FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE FAR EAST AND INTERPOL REGIONAL
CONFERENCES IN THIS AREA WHICH ARE HELD AT INFREQUENT INTERVALS.
IN THE PAST NEITHER OF THESE HAVE ACHIEVED MUCH LASTING VALUE.
3. WE ARE ALSO FULLY CONSCIOUS OF HONG KONG'S POSITION AS A
DEPENDENT TERRITORY, FROM PAST EXPERIENCE IT IS DOUBTFUL WHETHER
SOME AT LEAST OF THE COUNTRIES MENTIONED IN PARA 3 OF YOUR TELEGRAM
UNDER REFERENCE, INCLUDING CHINA IF SHE WERE TO ATTEND, WOULD
ACCEPT HONG KONG AS A MEMBER OF THE SUB-COMMISSION IN ITS OWN
RIGHT, ESPECIALLY IF IT WERE COMPOSED OF EXPATRIATES IT MIGHT
PERHAPS BE POSSIBLE FOR THE HONG KONG DELEGATION TO BE DESIGNATED
AS THE UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION: BUT MORE PROBABLY THE HONG
KONG DELEGATE WOULD HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF A NOMINAL UK DELGATION
PROVIDED BY THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN THE COUNTRY HOSTING THE MEETING OF
THE SUB-COMMISSION. IN VIEW OF HONG KONG'S KEY POSITION IN THE
ILLICIT NARCOTICS BUSINESS IN THE FAR EAST IT WOULD BE ANOMALOUS FOR THE COLONY HOT TO BE REPRESENTED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
4. YOU WILL BE RECEIVING A LETTER WITHIN THE NEXT 10 DAYS