CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 2429
OF 20120OZ JULY 89
CONFIDENTIAL
HKC062/1
191)
141001
MDLIAN 7725
YRTELNO 1503: USE OF SOUTH AFRICAN RIOT GEAR
1. AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE HONG KONG POLICE TESTING SOUTH AFRICAN RIOT CONTROL EQUIPMENT ALSO APPEARED HERE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE SUNDAY POST ON 9 JULY. THERE WAS A SIMILAR REPORT IN THE SCMP IN MAY 1988. BOTH ARTICLES ARE BEING FAXED TO YOU SEPARATELY.
2. THE BACKGROUND IS THAT ON 23 JULY 1986, AN END USER CERTIFICATE WAS ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE FOR TESTING A ''STRIKER'' REPEATING SHOTGUN WHICH WAS TO BE OBTAINED THROUGH DOMINION AGENCIES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED. THE SHOTGUN WAS DELIVERED BY DENSON ENTERPRISES LIMITED IN SEPTEMBER 1986. AFTER TESTING IT WAS RETURNED TO DENSON ON 5 MAY 1987.
3. IN APRIL 1988 AN END USER CERTIFICATE WAS ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE TO DOMINION FOR A 40MM GRENADE LAUNCHER, ANOTHER 'STRIKER'', AND RELATED AMMUNITION, ALL FOR TESTING PURPOSES. IN THE EVENT, NONE OF THE EQUIPMENT WAS DELIVERED TO THE POLICE. THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER CONTACT BETWEEN THE POLICE AND
DOMINION.
4. IN THEORY, SINCE THE EQUIPMENT WAS NOT DELIVERED, THE END USER CERTIFICATE IS STILL VALID. THE POLICE INTEND THEREFORE TO WRITE TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONSULATE SAYING THAT THE EQUIPMENT IS NO LONGER
REQUIRED.
5. AN INTERNAL POLICE INSTRUCTION WAS ISSUED IN MAY LAST YEAR BY THE COMMISSIONER TO THE EFFECT THAT ARMS FROM SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD NOT (NOT) BE TESTED OR PURCHASED. APPARENTLY, APPROACHES ARE FREQUENTLY MADE BY LOCAL FIRMS FOR EQUIPMENT TO BE TESTED AND OFFERS ARE USUALLY
TAKEN UP ON THE BASIS THAT THIS DOES NOT IMPOSE ANY COMMITMENT ON THE
PART OF THE POLICE TO PURCHASE GOODS.
6. OUR INVESTIGATIONS INTO THESE PRESS REPORTS HAVE REVEALED THAT
HONG KONG'S LEGAL POSITION ON ARMS FROM SOUTH AFRICAS IS LESS THAN
CLEAR. IMPORTS OF ARMS IN GENERAL ARE SUBJECT TO LICENSING CONTROL UNDER THE IMPORTS AND EXPORTS (STRATEGIC COMMODITIES) REGULATIONS,
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