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37
106233
MDHOAN 5758
HKC 175/1.
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR
TELNO 157
OF 10113OZ JUNE 92
AND TO IMMEDIATE JAKARTA, SINGAPORE
см
INFO PRIORITY ASEAN POSTS, HONG KONG, MODUK, ODA, ACTOR INFO ROUTINE CANBERRA, TOKYO, WASHINGTON, BONN, THE HAGUE
INFO ROUTINE PARIS
ODA FOR WARBOYS
(NR
RA.
YOUR TELNO 265 (NOT TO ALL): PIRACY IN SOUTH EAST ASIA
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·
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELPFUL TUR. WE AGREE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO DISCOVER THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM FOR BRITISH SHIPPING BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION. WE ALSO AGREE THAT WE MUST
TAKE ACCOUNT OF COASTAL STATE SENSITIVITIES TO WHAT MIGHT BE
SEEN AS A UK INITIATIVE REVIVING MEMORIES OF A BYGONE AGE.
2.
THE MEETING ON 4 JUNE WITH MOD AND DTP AGREED THAT IT
WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE AT THIS STAGE TO APPROACH SE ASIAN
STATES TO SEEK AUTHORITY FOR RN ACTION AGAINST PIRACY IN THEIR TERRITORIAL WATERS. WE CONSIDERED THAT THIS WAS A WORLDWIDE PROBLEM BUT ONE WHERE WE SHOULD OBTAIN A CLEARER OVERALL PICTURE. SPECIFICALLY WE AGREED TO SEEK THE VIEWS OF OTHER
MARITIME NATIONS BEFORE TAKING ANY UK INITIATIVE IN SOUTH-EAST
ASIA OR ELSEWHERE.
3.
WE AGREED THE FOLLOWING PLAN OF ACTION:-
(I) MAKE AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF THE PROBLEM. WE ARE ASKING FOR FURTHER INFORMATION FROM THE COUNCIL OF SHIPPING, AND DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED A HELPFUL
LETTER FROM HONG KONG REPORTING INCIDENTS IN 1991 AND WOULD
WELCOME ANY FURTHER DETAILS WHICH THEY OR OTHER RECIPIENTS OF
THIS TELEGRAM CAN OFFER.
(II) ASK POSTS TO APPROACH OTHER NATIONS WITH STRONG MERCHANT
SHIPPING INTERESTS TO OBTAIN THEIR VIEWS ON THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM AND ON POSSIBLE ACTION. (INSTRUCTIONS FOR INFORMATION ADDRESSEES WILL FOLLOW).
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