TNAG-0416-FCO40-462-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 147

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Your reference:

Mr Wotton

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

London SW1

82

18 May 1973

baker & recrite

1/21/5

42

Dear Wotton

I am writing to you,somewhat belatedly since events have rather overtaken us, about the record of a meeting at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 12 April to discuss international aspects of illicit traffic in narcotics as it affects Hong Kong. I realise that the document has already been circulated and that it has been used as a basis of a submission in your office, but, without the corrections I propose being generally circulated, I should like to place on record between ourselves some slight amendments to the substance of what I said and what I recollect was agreed.

The amendments are as follows:

M

Page 1, paragraph 1, lines 9-16

amend to read;

"Mr Train said that there was evidence that substantial amounts of "Chinese" heroin were available in London from time to time and that these apparently originated from Hong Kong; but he thought that the main sources of illicit heroin were domestic, coming from breaks into chemists shops and from heroin legally prescribed. According to inferences to be drawn from the size of the seizures the amount of heroin reaching the United Kingdom fluctuated, and there was nothing to suggest that any organised trafficking on a regular basis was taking place. The Customs and the police were increasing their efforts to crack down on this. He thought that

11

Page 2, paragraph 2, lines 1 and 2 - amend to read:

seriousness of the problem generally though perhaps not in detail and would be fully prepared to co-operate in any new measures provided these did not prejudice our own domestic position. He thought that consultation with Ministers would however be necessary if it appeared possible that this might occur. Mr Wenban-Smith

Page 4, paragraph 7, lines 19-20 - omit:

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was doubtful if this suggestion would be a starter and"

11

As I recollect it the point that I made was only that we should consider the implications of approaching other capitals;

I did

not suggest that it was a course of action that should be ruled out.

Page 5, paragraph 8(e), line 2

after the word "necessary" add "or desirable"

Page 6, paragraph 8(g)

I do not recollect that we discussed the possibility of Hong Kong being present generally at "other international meetings"; similarly although it was generally agreed that there was no objection to Hong Kong attending the Narcotics Commission (as they had on a number of occasions in the past) neither Kendall nor I recollect that the consensus of the meeting was that it was essential for them to attend. Consequently I would have preferred the opening sentence