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Commander A M Falconer RN
DEFENCE SECRETARIAT DIVISION 5
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Main Building Whitehall London SW1A 2HB
Captain D W Beadle RN
Secretary to
Commander-in-Chief Fleet
Telephone 01-930 7022 ext
2287
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Your reference
Our reference
Date
24 May
D/DS5/H 1 Part II
774
Copy to: The Commodore-in-Charge Hong Kong
Dear Copéen Landie,
HONG KONG
Ref:
CONTROL OF THE NARCOTICS TRADE
Commodore, liong Kong's letter HK 571/30 dated 11 May 1974
For what they are worth, our comments on the draft FCM are as follows:-
a.
the terms of paragraph 5 of the draft FCN appear to be too wide, since it could be argued, for instance, that they imply that the Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong, has authority to issue instructions to HM Ships to stop, question or harass trawlers on the high seas. We therefore recommend that paragraph 5 be amended along the following
lines:
b.
"On no account are trawlers to be stopped, questioned or harassed in any way outside the Hong Kong 'Square Boundary' (see FCM 215). IM Ships may on occasions be required to take action within the 'Square Boundary', but only when expressly instructed by the Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong, after consultation with the Colonial authorities".
the draft FCM makes no mention of the possibility of putting trawlers (on the high seas) "under surveillance for a while at a safe distance".
(Commissioner for Narcotics letter dated 22 April 1974). In this connection, however, it would be essential to stress that any surveillance must not constitute "harassment" in any way.
C. in view of Command arrangements, it may be appropriate for CINCFLT and other authorities to be included as copy addressees of signals reporting sightings.
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