CONFIDENTIAL
21
172241 MDLIAN 5551
HKB
177
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO PRIORITY F CO TELNO 806
OF 312305Z MAY 90
0 1 JUN 1990
19:56 7/6
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, -UKREP JLG HONG KONG
13.
HONG KONG TELNOS 1640 AND 1706.
INCIDENT ON 3 MAY IN HONG KONG WATERS.
1. I NOTED FROM PARA 11 OF FIRST T U R THAT HONG KONG ARE CURRENTLY PREPARING A NOTE ON ALL OF THE INCIDENTS OF INCURSIONS INTO HONG KONG WATERS FOR US TO HAND OVER TO THE MFA. IN VIEW OF THE PROGRESS REPORTED IN SECOND TUR, I DO NOT (NOT) THINK THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR US TO RAISE AGAIN WITH THE MFA
THE QUESTION OF INCURSIONS INTO HONG KONG WATERS. THIS IS AN
ISSUE THAT IS PROPERLY DEALT WITH THROUGH NORMAL BORDER LIAISON CHANNELS. AS LONG AS THE GUANGDONG AUTHORITIES ARE IN REASONABLY COOPERATIVE MOOD, AS, TO JUDGE FROM SECOND T U R, THEY NOW APPEAR TO BE, I HOPE YOU WILL AGREE THAT WE SHOULD KEEP DISCUSSIONS OF THIS AT LOCAL LEVEL. TO RAISE INCURSIONS NOW WITH THE MFA WOULD
RUN THE RISK OF UNNECESSARILY ANTAGONISING THE CHINESE, IN PARTICULAR GUANGDONG. THIS WOULD MAKE IT HARDER TO ACHIEVE THE RETURN OF THE SMUGGLED CARS, AND COULD SOUR THE HARMONIOUS ATMOSPHERE ACHIEVED ON NEW ANTI-SMUGGLING MEASURES (PARA 5 OF
SECOND TUR).
2.
IF PROGRESS THROUGH THE BORDER LIAISON CHANNELS IS NOT MAINTAINED, WE CAN THEN CONSIDER AGAIN HOW TO TAKE THIS FORWARD AND WHETHER WE NEED TO APPROACH THE MFA.
DONALD
YYYY
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL