TNAG-0416-FCO40-462-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 145

CONFIDENTIAL-ECLIPSE

8.3

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

GPS 320

FM HONG KONG 190407Z

CONFIDENTIAL

ECLIPSE

HKILIG

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 556 OF 19TH MAY, 1973. INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON, UKMIS GENEVA AND SAVING TO BANGKOK, VIENTIANE AND RANGOON.

NARCOTICS.

YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 490.

REF.

178

189

THE U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL HAVE PUT TO US A SIMILAR PROPOSAL, BUT SUGGESTED TO STUART THAT HE MIGHT REPRESENT THE U.K., RETURNING

HERE FROM THE SEYCHELLES. THIS SEEMED IMPRACTICABLE AND WE LEFT

IT THAT INGERSOLL MIGHT LIKE TO COME ON HIS OWN FOR BILATERAL

TALKS WE WOULD, HOWEVER, VERY MUCH WELCOME TRAIN'S PRESENCE.

2. BECAUSE 5 JUNE IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY 7 AND 8 JUNE WOULD SUIT

US BETTER, AND THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE SUGGESTED TO THE AMERICANS.

WERE TRAIN TO ARRIVE ON 5 JUNE AND RECKON TO STAY ABOUT A WEEK,

HE COULD BOTH BRIEF HIMSELF FOR THE TALKS AND HAVE TIME TO SEE THE

FULL RANGE OF OUR OPERATIONS. WE LEAVE IT TO YOU WHETHER HE IS

ACCOMPANIED, BUT AS SEEN FROM HERE WE DOUBT WHETHER IT IS WORTH IT, AS THE DISCUSSIONS WILL CONCENTRATE ON FAR EASTERN DRUG PROBLEMS.

3. THE U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL SUGGESTED THAT THE DISCUSSION

SHOULD RANGE OVER ALL THE ISSUES WITHOUT COMMITMENT. THIS IS AS WE'

WOULD LIKE IT.

·

APART FROM THE PRESENTATIONAL ASPECTS OF HAVING

U.K. PARTICIPATION, I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THE AMERICANS

THOUGHT THAT THEY COULD IN FACT LEAN ON US A LITTLE THROUGH YOU.

WE ARE A BIT WARY OF THIS, AS THERE ARE MANY ASPECTS OF THE

DRUG PROBLEM WHICH AFFECT ONLY US AND FOR WHICH WE MUST

FIND SOLUTIONS. BUT WITH THIS RESERVATION I THINK THE MEETING SHOULD

DO NOTHING BUT GOOD.

CONFIDENTIAL--ECLIPSE

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