TNAG-0414-FCO40-460-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 55

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TO PRIORITY F C O TEL NO 63 OF 10 FEBRUARY 1973

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG AND WASHINGTON

INFO UK MIS NEW YORK

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YOUR TEL NO 33 OF 1 FEBRUARY: UN COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS.

1.

AN AMENDED VERSION OF THE RESOLUTION CONTAINED IN OUR TEL NO 33 OF 24 JANUARY TO F C O WAS ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION OM 7 FEBRUARY

SETTING UP AN AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR SOUTH EAST ASIA. THE CHAIRMAN INVITED THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AD HOC COMMITTEE: AUSTRALIA, INDIA, INDONESIA, JAPAN, THAILAND AND THE UK, ALL OF WHOM ACCEPTED. ALL MEMBERS ARE AWARE OF, AND TACITLY ACCEPT, THE UK'S DUAL ROLE.

2. A FIRST INFORMAL MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE WAS HELD YESTERDAY. AUSTRALIA WAS ELECTED CHAIRMAN. FORMAL INVITATIONS TO GOVERNMENT WILL ISSUE IMMEDIATELY ALTHOUGH WORK WILL NOT BEGIN UNTIL ECOSOC HAS APPROVED THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS. THE TOUR OF THE

REGION BY THE COMMITTEE IS LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE IN SEPTEMBER OR

OCTOBER.

MASON

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NORTH AMER DEPT

MR WILFORD

MR HANKEY

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