CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2301
OF 11102OZ SEPTEMBER 92
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HANOI
31
CONFIDENTIAL
30
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TOP COPY Q DIST?
KA
YOUR TELNO 1358 AND PEKING TELNO 1258: CHINESE SEIZURE OF VIETNAMESE VESSELS NEAR HONG KONG.
021561
MDLIAN 0961
33
1
THE POLITICAL ADVISER AGAIN PRESSED NCNA ON 11
-
SEPTEMBER FOR
AN EXPLANATION OF THE CHINESE SEIZURE OF VIETNAMESE VESSELS NEAR
HONG KONG.
2.
EHRMAN REFERRED TO THE APOLOGY GIVEN IN PEKING AND LONDON FOR THE INCIDENT OF 29 AUGUST. HE SAID THAT WE AWAITED AN EXPLANATION OF THE INCIDENT OF 28 AUGUST AND HOPED IT WOULD BE GIVEN SOON. WE DID NOT WISH TO SEE A RECURRENCE OF SUCH INCIDENTS.
3*
THE LACK OF EXPLANATION OF THE REASONS FOR THE BOARDING OF VIETNAMESE VESSELS OUTSIDE HONG KONG WATERS WAS GIVING US A REAL PROBLEM. SHIP-OWNERS WERE VERY CONCERNED. IF THE CHINESE SUSPECTED THE VESSELS OF SMUGGLING THEY SHOULD TELL US. WE HAD REPEATEDLY MADE CLEAR THAT WE WANTED TO CO-OPERATE TO PREVENT SMUGGLING. ACTION AGAINST SMALL VESSELS AT SEA HAD BEEN EFFECTIVE. AS THE CHINESE KNEW, OUR POLICE ALSO EXCHANGED INTELLIGENCE ON LARGER VESSELS. WHAT WE NEEDED TO CLEAR UP WAS THE IMPRESSION OF PIRACY AGAINST LEGITIMATE TRADE. THIS WAS DOING
US NO GOOD. HONG KONG LIVED BY ITS TRADE.
4
CHEN RONGCHUN ASSURED EHRMAN THAT INVESTIGATIONS WERE BEING PURSUED. ONCE AGAIN HE UNDERTOOK TO TRY TO EXPEDITE A RESPONSE. CHINA CERTAINLY APPRECIATED THAT WE DID CO-OPERATE WITH THEM AGAINST SMUGGLING.
5. IN ANSWER TO PRESS QUESTIONS, WE ARE SAYING THAT THE CHINESE HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE INCURSION 0 29 AUGUST. WE AWAIT A CHINESE
RESPONSE TO OUR OTHER ENQUIRIES.
PATTEN
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