FRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
FM RANGOON 210845Z
CONFIDENTIAL
WICK 19
REF.
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 9 OF 21 JANNUARY 1975 INFO PRIORITY
BANGKOK, VIENTIANE, HONG KONG (FOR COMMISSIONER OF NARCOTICS)
YOUR TELNO 6 REPEATING YOUR TELNO 28 TO HONG KONG: ADRIAN
COWELL'S PROPOSALS.
1.
SINCE THE BURMESE ARMY ARE VIRTUALLY AT WAR WITH THE SHAN
STATE ARMY, THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE JUSTIFIED IN
REGARDING ANY OFFICIAL BRITISH CONTACT WITH THE SSA AS A HOSTILE
ACT ON OUR PART. THERE WOULD NEED TO BE VERY SUBSTANTIAL
BENEFITS TO COUNTERBALANCE THE LASTING DAMAGE THIS WOULD DO TO
OUR BILATERAL RELATIONS.
2.
LESTER WOOLF OF COURSE ENJOYS A PRIVILEGED POSITION
AS A CONGRESSMAN AND MEMBER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
EVEN SO I HAVE EVERY REASON TO THINK THAT THE STATE
DEPARTMENT WOULD FIND COWELL'S PROPOSALS OBJECTIONABLE.
THE US GOVERNMENT ARE COMMITED TO SUPPLYING THE BURMESE
WITH SIX HELICOPTERS TO ENABLE THE LATTER TO PROSECUTE SUPP-
RESSION OF NARCOTICS TRAFFIC AND HAVE PROMISED A FURTHER 12
IF THE BURMESE CAN SHOW USEFUL DIVIDENDS FROM THE DEPLOYMENT
OF THE FIRST SIX.
3. YOU WILL ALSO BE AWARE OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE UNFDAC
IN SUPPRESSING TRAFFIC IN NARCOTICS IN BURMA. I CANNOT IMAGINE
THEY WOULD REGARD COWELLS PROPOSALS WITH ENTHUSIASM.
CONFIDENTIAL
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