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TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 596 OF 2 AUGUST AND TO KINSHASA INFO UKMIS NEW YORK (FOR FIFOOT).
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HONG KONG TELNO 1 OF 29 JULY TO KINSHASA (NOT REPEATED TO UKMIS NEW YORK): SUITCASE MYSTERY
1. THE WAY IS NOW CLEAR FOR H.M. AMBASSADOR KINSHASA TO INFORM THE CONGOLESE AUTHORITIES THAT THE SUITCASE AND ITS CONTENTS ARE BEING RETURNED TO THEM. WE CONFIRM THAT THE DRAFT NOTE ENCLOSED WITH DAVID'S LETTER OF 22 JUNE TO ARTHUR SHOULD BE AMENDED AS PROPOSED IN PARAGRAPH 4 OF HONG KONG TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE.
2. YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE CONGOLESE. CHARGE D'AFFAIRES TO THE U.N., NGALI-MARSALA, APPROACHED THE LEGAL COUNSELLOR IN THE U.K.
MISSION NEW YORK ON 26 JULY ABOUT THE SUITCASE MYSTERY. HE SAID
THAT AIR FRANCE HAD RETURNED. THE SUITCASE TO THE CONGOLESE MISSION EARLIER THIS MONTH AND THAT SO FAR AS THE MISSION COULD SEE, IT CONTAINED ITS ORIGINAL ITEMS, EXCEPT THE ARMS (AND PRESUMABLY THE AMMUNITION) AND THE CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS.
30 THE DOCUMENTS ARE, OF COURSE, NOW IN KINSHASA.
NOW IN KINSHASA, WOULD HONG KONG PLEASE CONFIRM FOR KINSHASA'S BENEFIT THAT, APART FROM THE DOCUMENTS AND THE ARMS/AMMUNITION, ALL THE OTHER ITEMS IN THE SUITCASE AND THE SUITCASE ITSELF HAVE ALREADY BEEN RETURNED, VIA AIR FRANCE, TO THE CONGOLESE MISSION IN NEW YORK. WOULD HONG KONG ALSO ADVISE HOW THE ARMS AND AMMUNITION WILL NOW BE RETURNED.
4. WE ARE SENDING COPIES OF LEGAL COUNSELLOR'S U.K. MISSION NEW
(16) YORK LETTER OF 28 JULY (PARA 2 ABOVE REFERS) BY BAG.
OWEN
FILES HKNGD (5)
WAD
UND
SECURITY D
RHODESIA D
MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY
CONFIDENTIAL