CONFIDENTIAL
aragraph 6 of Fred Burrow's minute ie that we should get the working group set up under the 1982 agreement to record that by realigning the river the two sides did not intend to change the areas falling under their respective administrations. Clearly the Chinese view, albeit informally expressed, resulted in a change in HKG's attitude.
5.
In November 1985, the Frontier Security Sub-Committee recomended that:
a)
b)
where the realignment was North of the boundary, a chain link fence should be erected along the southern bank of the existing river (this is now to be a low barbed wire fence). The fence should be the accepted Patrol Line between the two sides;
where the realignment was south of the boundary the existing river course should be clearly marked by means acceptable to the Hong Kong and PRC authorities. The Committee considered
that a fence at this location would be unacceptable to the PRC for presentational reasons.
These recommendations were accepted by the Joint Emergency Control Committee (chaired by Deputy Commissioner of Police) and Security Branch.
6.
The subject then appears to go onto the back burner until July this year when a meeting with representatives from this office, Security Branch, Royal Hong Kong Police and Civil Engineering Services Department was held. It was decided that the informal agreement on the boundary remaining unchanged and the various security arrangements related to the project should be drawn together into a speaking note. They could then be recorded in the minutes of the working group as recommended by Fred Burrows.
7.
Now for my second purpose in writing. I would be grateful for any comments you might have on the enclosed speaking note. It has been cleared with LO (SD) and the relevant Departments. You may wish to consider the following two points in particular:
whether it should be specifically stated
(in para 5 [a]) that the North bank of the Shenzhen river constitutes the boundary; and
a)
b)
whether the wording of the notices to be erected on the South bank of the river
(para 5 [d]) is acceptable.
The pillars will be erected at a measured distance from the boundary. They cannot be placed on the North bank itself because this is PRC territory. It is intended that the note be handed to the Chinese at a meeting of the Working Group on Shenzhen River Controls Flood Control Sub-group in due course.
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