TNAG-0561-FCO40-656-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 22

CR 400

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 12:2457

SECRET

SECRET

RECEIVED IN REGISTY No 51

21 JUL1975

HKK 19/1

TO ROUTINE F CO TELNO 715 OF 19 JULY INFO PEKING, BANGKOK.

FOLLOWING FROM ACTING POLITICAL ADVISER FOR O'KEEFFE, HKTOD.

PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 555.

LASI

Rrt

(124)

(126)

INTERCEPTION OF THAI TRAWLERS.

REF

1. TO AVOID SUBSEQUENT MISUNDERSTANDING, WE WOULD WANT TO CONSULT THE CHINESE LOCALLY BEFORE AGREEING TO LET A THAI MAVAL VESSEL OPERATE OUT OF HONG KONG AND WE VERY MUCH DOUBT WHETHER THEY WOULD BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT THE PERMANENT STATIONING OF SUCH A VESSEL IN HONG KONG. RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND THAILAND HAVE

ONLY JUST BEEN ESTABLISHED.

2. THE PROPOSAL THAT A THAI OFFICIAL SHOULD MAKE THE ARRESTS WITH' THE HELP OF A ROYAL NAVY VESSEL WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO PROVOKE CHINESE SUSPICIONS, BUT WE WOULD PROBABLY ALSO WISH TO LET THE NC NA KNOW IN ADVANCE.

3. HOWEVER, THIS PROPOSAL POSIS A NUMBER OF PRACTICAL PROBLEMS. THE NAVY WOULD WANT TO BE SURE THAT THEY COULD NOT BE ACCUSED OF COMMITTING PIRACY. IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS. (SO FAR WE HAVE NO FIRM EVIDENCE OF WHAT POWERS THÁI LAW MIGHT CONFER, ONLY THE SAY OF THE THÀI CONSUL HERE.) WE UNDERSTAND THAT ANY ROYAL NAVY OPERATION OVER 50 MILES FROM HONG KONG WOULD HAVE TO BE REFERRED TO THE CINC FLEET. THERE MIGHT BE DISPUTES WITH THE THAIS AS TO WHAT EXACT ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO STOP THE TRAWLERS, E.G. SHOULD THE ROYAL NAVY VESSEL OPEN FIRE.

4. MOREOVER, THERE WOULD BE CONSIDERABLE LEGAL PROBLEMS IF THE TRAWLER WAS BROUGHT INTO HONG KONG, BECAUSE THE HONG KONG COURTS WOULD HAVE NO JURISDICTION OVER IT. THE CREW COULD NOT BE DETAINED UNLESS A PRIOR REQUEST FOR THEIR EXTRADITION HAD BEEN RECEIVED FROM

Z THAILAND

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