Mr Stewart
CONFIDENTIAL
DIARY FOR WEEK ENDING 13 JANUARY 1978
Royal Hong Kong Police Force
HKK 3821
RESIVO
INDEX
17 JAN
No Disisi! Res
(18
ken
1. The public announcement of the forthcoming visit to Hong Kong by the team led by Mr Crane, one of HM Inspectors of Constabulary, was made on 10 January; press reaction here and in Hong Kong was generally favourable. Inspector Crane called on the department to discuss his mission. In the meantime, the Attorney General in Hong Kong reported on the quandary he was in as a result of not being able to produce evidence to support prosecutions against all the police officers suspected of corruption at the Yaumarti police station. It was the detention of 100 officers from this station which precipitated the crisis leading to the amnesty last November, and the Governor considered it essential that in this case above all, there should be at least a token number of convictions. Mr Hobley, on the other hand, was reluctant to pursue cases against some officers if he could not treat all his suspected men equally. It was agreed that Mr Hobley should come to London to discuss the dilemma with the Director of Public Prosecutions.
MFA
2. Hong Kong were told that we had no prior knowledge of an EEC proposal to adjust the sub limits in quotas for certain categories of textiles included in the EEC/Hong Kong bilateral arrangement. We assured them that the UK had not asked for the changes and did not want them, and that there was no question of unilateral action by the EEC.
Air Services
3. Hong Kong were informed of British Airways' intention to end services between Hong Kong and Australia. This will allow Cathay Pacific to take up the full British share of the agreed capacity on the Hong Kong-Australia route, and should also enable BA to offer an improved service in Hong Kong since their time-keeping will no longer be affected by the need to take account of Australian timings. While welcoming these aspects of the new proposals, Hong Kong protested at BA's proposal to increase their services between Hong Kong and the Gulf and vice- versa as part of the new schedules. They contrasted this with the DOT's refusal so far to sanction a fourth weekly CPA flight to the Gulf, so to allow Gulf Air to fly to Hong Kong.
PQS
4. Mr Stan Newens MP asked four written Questions about detainees at the Victoria Road Detention Centre.
Withdrawal from Brunei
5.
A letter from the Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence to the Secretary of State about proposals for terminating
/the
CONFIDENTIAL