SECRET
Sir Murray KaoLehose XCMG MBB
Government House Hong Kong
BRITISH EMBASSY
VIENTIANE
13703
18/6
DANGEROUS DRUGS
(18)
LA
(35)
1. Would you please refer to my telno 2 in reply to the final paragraph of your letter of 22 January 1973 to Duncan Vatem. I hope that you will agree that a visit by Rolph with the purpose of assessing the merits of a subsequent official approach to the Lao Government second enclosure to your letter) would seem remature until as proposed in the the present political uncertainty is in some degree resolved.
2. This said, I was i
be made aware of the Kong. Subject to FCO
this. Depending of co
have to deal with her
that a formal approach to
to read the two reports and to the narcotics problem in Hong will do what we can to help on he sort of Government which g a settlement, I would thi ess the Lao authorities with your problems would certainly do.no harm, could conceivably some good and would no doubt be welcome to the Americans as support for their own considerable efforts to enforce narcotics control in this country - particularly since their own influence is likely to be less in future.
3. I would not however put the likely product of an approach by us much higher than that since, whate the good intentions of the authorities, enforcement will rema. an intractable problem. The essential requirement will be physical control of this primitive country and this is likely to be beyond the ability of any Government here for some time. RLG would no doubt maintain that they were already doing the
The present beat they could in the difficult circumstances prevailing.
SECRET
./4.
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