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South China Morning Post
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1973
Co-operation-or coercion?
An
American Congressman last night threatened that the U.S. would invoke trade sanctions against Hongkong if the Colony did not co-operate fully in the fight to stamp out narcotics.
This is an arrogant, irresponsible and unwarranted attempt to intimidate and denigrate all those in Hongkong who are involved in the determined fight to suppress drug trafficking.
Representative Wolff was hardly off the plane at Kai fak before he was wielding his big stick and telling Hongkong how to run its anti-drugs a presumption that is gratuitously insulting to the people he came here to meet.
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If Mr Wolff and his collengues genuinely seck co-operation, they have chosen a curiously abrasive way of going about it.
Not that there is much truth in his complaint – it is not a new one, and in fact Hongkong is getting rather tired of these some allegations being repeated as a smokescreen for the failure of others to deal more effectively with their own problems.
These clahus about non-co-operation have been consistently refuted, with evidence that is a gnod deal more persuasive than the headline-grabbing comments of touring politicians.
The Hongkong authorities have openly declared their support and offered their help to a wide range of agencies, both national and international, in combatting the narcotics traffic. The record speaks for itself.
Perhaps what Congressman Wolff meant when he said Hongkong was not co-operating was that Hongkong declined to do what the Americans thought it should be doing.
This presupposes that the Hongkong experts don't know how to go about their job, and that only the Americans do,
A look at the record is not reassuring on this point. There is, for example, the rapid growth of n massive drug trade within the U.S. which Indicates a certain lack of success in suppression.
And there is, too, that mystery about the huge haul of heroin made in the “French connection” case that was locked up in a police station but which somehow just managed to disappear.
This kind of argument won't contribute anything towards putting the narcotics merchants out of business, though. Nor will naked threats based on inaccurate information.
If Mr Wolff and his colleagues have anything useful to contribute on this question they will find the Hongkong authorities are willing to listen and learn.
They do not believe they know everything there is to know about the drugs trade, but they might be forgiven if they do feel that they know the situation in Hongkong best. '
Co-operation is a two-way street, and an open- minded approach to the varying points of view could result in a useful exchange of information.
After all, there is a common ultimate alm stamping out the most evil trade known to. mankind which transcends these difcting points of view.
HKK 19/3
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