TNAG-0415-FCO40-461-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 120

ir Wilford

Sir D Watson

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THE DRUG TRAFFIC AND HONG KONG

2.

1. The Governor has written to Sir Duncan Watson a letter

generally dated "April 1973" enclosing a copy of the Commissioner

for Narcotics' report on his visits to Burma, Laos and Thailand.

Before this letter was received I held a meeting with the

Home Office and other interested departments in the FCO. I think

we should send the Governor, in reply to his letter, a copy of

the record of this meeting together with comments on the points

raised by Mr Rolph.

3. If the Ambassadors in the 3 countries concerned are prepared

to speak on the lines suggested by Mr Rolph, then we and SEAD

see no reason why they should not do so. The reactions in their

letters to us were considerably more cautious, particularly in

relation to the Government of Burma. But if they do not agree with Mr Rolph's record they will doubtless say so (they will have received copies).

4. The other points of current importance are the suggestion

for intercepting Thai trawlers outside Thailand but before they

reach Hong Kong, and the forthcoming ad hoc committee. My

preliminary discussions with the legal advisers suggest that the

idea of stopping trawlers on the high seas is a non-starter. We

have already concluded in the context of Northern Ireland that

we cannot do this. However, the departments concerned have agreed

that there is a possibility of surveillance given the original

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