RESTRICTED
3573
MDLOAN 6668
SET UP AN ANTI-PIRACY PROGRAM AIMED AT PROTECTING REFUGEES. THIS WAS EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THE INCIDENCE OF PIRACY IN THE GULF OF THAILAND AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA BUT ALSO RESULTED IN GREATER ACTIVITY BY THAI PIRATES IN OTHER AREAS. IN THE CASE OF THE PHILIPPINES, ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY COMPARABLE AGREEMENTS SUCH AS THE UNHCR HAS WITH THAILAND, IT DOES SEEM POSSIBLE THAT SIMILAR FORCES HAVE BEEN AT WORK.
5. WE ARE AWARE THAT THE COASTGUARD IS SMALL, INEFFICIENT AND ILL EQUIPPED. THIS WAS REFLECTED IN OUR ADVICE TO MOD. BUT FROM THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE WE HAVE NOT DRAWN THE CONCLUSION THAT, IN COMPARISON WITH ITS NEIGHBOURS, THE PHILIPPINE MEASURES AGAINST PIRACY HAVE BEEN INEFFECTIVE OR LACKING IN DETERRENT EFFECT. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FURTHER VIEWS. IF YOU BELIEVE WE HAVE DRAWN THE WRONG INFERENCES WE WILL AMEND OUR
ADVICE ACCORDINGLY.
HURD
YYYY
MAIN
82
AMD
SEAD
HKD
LAD
WED
WIAD
SPD
LEGAL ADVISERS
DISTRIBUTION
87
AD (E)
PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
PS/MR GOODLAD
PS/PUS
MR CROWE
MR BONE
MR MASEFIELD
ADDITIONAL
5
DTP//MR J F WALL
MOD//SEC (NS)/MR H PUGH MOD//SEC(OC)/MR HOWARD
MOD//DNOT/CAPT HOWARD
HKGOL
NNNN
PAGE
2
RESTRICTED