TNAG-0416-FCO40-462-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 23

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FY No, 51

FM FCO 181738Z

SECRET

HKIL 19/3

73

TO PRIORITY BANGKOK TELNO 185 OF 18 JUNE/INFO GOVERNOR HONG KONG SAVING TO RANGOON, VIENTIANE,

YOUR TELEGRAM NO 207: NARCOTICS

LAST

oF.

103

RCF.

1. WE AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD APPROACH THE THAI GOVERNMENT ABOUT

THE APPOINTMENT OF TWO HONG KONG OFFICIALS TO YOUR STAFF FOR ANTI-

NARCOTIC DUTIES, ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT HONG KONG WILL MEET ALL EXPENSES FOR THESE OFFICERS. WE NOTE THAT ACTING CONSUL, CHIANG MAI (SMITH'S LETTER OF 17 APRIL TO SHARLAND) THINKS THAT THE MAN

SECONDED TO CHIANG MAI WOULD ONLY BE REALLY USEFUL IF HE HAD A SPECIFIC JOB TO DO (PERHAPS OTHER THAN PURE LIAISON WORK), AND THAT MASTERY OF SEVERAL CHINESE DIALECTS WOULD BE USEFUL. PERHAPS YOU

WOULD ADVISE HONG KONG ON THE SORT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE

TO YOU AND TO THE THAIS AND ON THE TYPE OF WORK THEY COULD MOST

USEFULLY DO. WOULD YOU ALSO INCLUDE ADVICE WHETHER A HONG KONG 'CHINER

WOULD FILL THE BILL?

2. WE ALSO AGREE (HONG KONG TELNO 527 AND YOUR TELNO 207) THAT THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNE MOMENT TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERN TO THE

THAIS OVER THE ILLICIT SUPPLY OF DRUGS REACHING HONG KONG BY

TRAWLER. WE AGREE ALSO THAT AN APPROACH TO THE KING MIGHT WELL BE

HELPFUL.

3.

YOUR PROPOSED VISIT TO HONG KONG IN EARLY JULY HAS OUR AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE.

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