PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM UKMIS GENEVA 3017082
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
JANUARY
1973
TO PRIORITY FCO TEL NO 47 OF 30 SEPTEMBER INFO PRIORITY
GOVERNOR HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON, UKMIS NEW YORK.
· (10)
YOUR TEL NO 25 TO GENEVA AND HONG KONG TEL NO 116 TO FCO:
UN COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS.
1. WE HAVE PURSUED THE QUESTION WITH THE US AND AUSTRALIA
(WHO ARE ACTING AS CO-ORDINATORS FOR THE REGION).
2. THE AMERICANS ARE GRATIFIED BY OUR INTEREST BUT HAVE SLIGHT
INITIAL DOUBTS ABOUT HONG KONG BEING EVEN INDIRECTLY REPRESENTED
ON THE AD HOC COMMITTEE RATHER THAN WAITING TO JOIN THE SUB-
COMMISSION, IF IT IS SET UP. THEY WOULD WELCOME ANY REASSURANCE WE CAN GIVE THAT HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION AT THIS STAGE WOULD
NOT BE LIKELY TO INHIBIT THE CO-OPERATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPHERE INDICATED, DESPITE A GENERALLY TENDENTIOUS IDEOLOGICAL STATEMENT, BY THE CHINESE OBSERVER YESTERDAY (SEE MIFT).
3. THE AUSTRALIANS INFORM US THAT JAPAN AND THAILAND (CO-SPONSORS) AND INDONESIA HAVE AGREED TO BE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, INDIA
HAS ALSO INDICATED INTEREST. AUSTRALIA KNOW OF NO OPPOSITION TO UK MEMBERSHIP BUT ARE BEING CAUTIOUS, THEY HAVE NOT YET PRESSED THE IDEA AMONGST THEIR REGIONAL COLLEAGUES. THE COMMISSION WILL
TAKE DECISIONS ON THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE FOLLOWING SOUNDINGS BY THE CHAIRMAN, ONCE IT IS AGREED TO SET UP THE
COMMITTEE.
SEE MIFT.
MASON
FILES:
UND
HKICD
SEAD
MAID
MR. WILFORD
SIR D. WATSON
CONFIDENTIAL
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