GRS 313
RESTRICTED
FM PEKING
Restricted
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 89
OF 230653Z JUNE 87
INFO ROUTINE FCO, ODA
PA
125
MY TELNO 82: FOREST FIRES: HONG KONG RELIEF AID TO CHINA
See(120
WE HAVE MAINTAINED CLOSE CONTACT WITH ROBERT YIH, CATHAY PACIFIC'S REPRESENTATIVE IN PEKING, ABOUT THE TWO CONSIGNMENTS OF AID SENT FROM HONG KONG. YIH HAS REPORTED TO US THAT, AS AT 19 JUNE, BOTH CONSIGNMENTS WERE STILL STANDING IN THE CARGO WAREHOUSE AT PEKING INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
2. WE HAVE SINCE SPOKEN AT DESK OFFICER LEVEL TO THE MINISTRY OF
FORESTRY ABOUT THIS. THE MINISTRY HAVE TOLD US THAT THE SECOND BATCH (CONTAINING CANNED MEAT, BISCUITS AND MEDICINE) HAS NOW BEEN MOVED BY TRAIN TO THE DISASTER AREA. THE FIRST BATCH (CONTAINING SYRINGES, BLANKETS AND BLEACHING POWDER) IS, HOWEVER, STILL AT THE
AIRPORT. THE REASON GIVEN FOR THIS IS THAT CUSTOMS OFFICIALS
SUSPECT THAT THE BLEACHING POWDER IS SOME FORM OF DRUG. WE
PROTESTED TAHT THE MINISTRY OF FORESTRY SHOULD BE PERFECTLY CAPABLE
OF CONVINCING THE CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES THAT THIS IS NOT THE CASE.
THE MINISTRY RESPONDED THAT THEY HAD NO CHOICE PUT TO OBEY THE
REGULATIONS''. WE HAVE ASKED IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE AT LEAST TO
FORWARD THE SYRINGES AND BLANKETS IMMEDIATELY. THE MINISTRY HAVE
SAID THAT THEY HOPE TO DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BUT HAVE BEEN
UNABLE TO GIVE US A TIME.
3. WE SEEM, UNFORTUNATLEY, TO HAVE BECOME ENTANGLED IN CHINESE
BUREAUCRATISM. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO LIAISE CLOSELY WITH CATHAY PACIFIC AND, IF THE SITUATION IS UNCHANGED LATER THIS WEEK, WILL CONTACT THE MINISTRY OF FORESTRY AT A MORE SENIOR LEVEL.
WE HAVE MANAGED TO ALLAY YIH'S FEARS ABOUT THE FOODSTUFFS IN THE
SECOND BATCH OF AID AND HAVE TOLD HIM THAT THESE WILL NOT HAVE
DETERIORATED (HE WAS CONCERNED IN CASE, THE FOOD SHOULD BE UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION BY THE TIME IT REACHED THE DISASTER AREA, WITH
CONSEQUENT CRITISISM OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND OF CATHAY
PACIFIC).
EVANS
PEHPAN 1951
LIMITED
FGD
COPIES TO
DISASTER UNIT, ODA.
HKD
MR GILL MORE
MR
MCLAREN
Restricted