SECRET
72
His Excellency
Şir Murray Maul@hese KONG MAR
Governor
HONG KONG
8 May 1973
Mr. Crowson
1 HECHIVED Yr. Stuart
I
14
have seen.
!R!
FALiali
р.
NARCOTICS
1.
Thank you for sending us a copy of Norman Rolph's interesting report on his trip to the "Golden Triangle" countries. I have since seen a copy of Michael Wilford's letter to you of 26 April and of Arthur de la Mare's letter of 1 May on this subject.
It
2. I have little comment to make on Norman Rolph's report. correctly reflects the very limited scope for action by us in Laos, in support of the major efforts already being made here by the Americans and by the Lao authorities. When the political situation has settled down, and I think this is an important point to make, I see no difficulty in making a formal approach to the new Provisional Government in order to brin. home the gravity of the Hong Kong problem; but I would not exprot such exhortation to produce any significant result.
3. For the future the NIHS attitude to opium production on their own zone of control is unlikely to be open to outside influence (for what it is worth, the NLHS leadership in Vientiane take the line that opium cultivation in their zone is already prohibited and no longer takes place). In the remainder of the country much both for enforcement and crop substitution will depend on the extent to which the Americans will be allowed to continue their present programme.
4. Norman Rolph's visit was greatly welcomed by the US Embassy as evidence of our interest in tackling the narcotics problem; and it occurs to me that in view of the Americans' helpfulness to Rolph during his visit it might be a good idea if a suitably sanitised version of his report could be given to them. that they would like to see it.
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