Copy to Er Andrew Stuart
XXXXXXXXXXxxxx 01.212.8920
23 October 1974
121
DDA 74 1/90/2
Nigel Wenban-Smith Esq
United Nations Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Downing Street
OK
London SW1
Dear Nigel
LAST
RCF.
(127)
Robin Oaten has just sent me the UN Secretary-General's request to the UK Government to nominate our delegation for the 26th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
There is, I think, no urgency about this but, as I did last year (in my letter to you of 1 November 1973), I think it as well to raise the question at an early stage of someone from Hong Fong being in the UK delegation. In my view, it is desirable for a number of reasons for a Hong Kong adviser to be present. I think it gives the liong Kong Government the feeling that their views are properly presented, and there will undoubtedly be discussion of the situation in the Far East in the light of the law enforcement officers' meeting in Bangkok in September, at which Hong Kong was reprosented. Furthermore, it gives the Hong Kong delegate an opportunity to meet others from his own region, and it was at the Commission reeting in February of this year that ve were able to set up the US/UK/Hong Kong co-operative meeting which took pl:ce in July in Washington. I should therefore be harry once a ain to have someone from Hong Kong in the party.
by me
I do not know whether this would be Norman Rolph, who is due to retire, I believe, early next year, but I imagine he would be the person to approach in the first instance. He was certainly talking in terms of being available for the Commission when I last saw him in July. Last year, after you had consulted andrew Stuart in your Hong Kong and Indian Ocean Department, you agreed that it should be left to me to approach Norman Rolph, sending a copy of my letter to George in the Colonial Secretariat in Fong Kong. World you be content for me to proceed in this way this year, or would you prefer that the approach be made through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office? I ar se ding a copy of this letter to andrew Stuart to facilitate your consideration of these points.
Yours sincerely
new
C. Drac - Francis
C J TRAIN