SECRET
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 61
絶
(2x)
GR 330
CYPHER CAT A
FM PEKING 180215Z
SECRET
LART
REF
118
(126)
REF
TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 555 OF 18 JULY
O'KEEFE'S LETTER HKK 19/1 OF 3 JULY TO
INTERCEPTION OF THAI TRAWLERS.
1.
1975 المالي 18
10K (19)1
INFO HONG KONG AND BANGKOK,
DONALD:
I CAN SEE NO VALID REASON WHY THE CHINESE SHOULD OBJECT
TO THE PROPOSAL SET CUT IN PARA 4 OF O'KEEFE'S LETTER.
IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF THEIR DOING SO, I WOULD BE PERFECTLY PREPARED TO REJECT ANY PROTEST ON THE GROUND THAT THE SUPPRESSION OF NARCOTICS SMUGGLING WAS AN IMPORTANT OBJECTIVE OF THE HONG KONG AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS, AN OBJECTIVE WHICH I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE CHINESE TO SHARE SEMICOLON AND THAT THE ARREST HAD TAKEN PLACE IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS. 2. I CAN SEE THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT BE MORE SENSITIVE TO THE
PROPOSAL IN PARA 5 WHICH WOULD INVOLVE OPERATIONAL MISSIONS FROM HONG KONG BY A THIRD POWER, PARTICULARLY IF THE THAI VESSEL CONCERNED CARRIED NAVAL OR POLICE INSIGNIA,
3. IF THE PROPOSAL IN PARA 4 IS OTHERWISE ACCEPTABLE, AND THE LEGAL AND FINANCIAL PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED, I WOULD THEREFORE NOT REPEAT NOT WISH TO ADVISE AGAINST ON GROUNDS OF CHINESE
SUSCEPTIBILITIES. I WOULD ALSO BE CONTENT FOR HONG KONG TO
DECIDE WHETHER THE BALANCE OF ADVANTAGE WAS IN FAVOUR OF
INFORMING THE CHINESE LOCALLY OR NOT. THE PROPOSAL IN PARA 5
WOULD REQUIRE A MORE DELICATE CALCULATION OF THE BALANCE OF
ADVANTAGE BUT I WOULD AGAIN NOT RULE IT OUT ENTIRELY IF THE
ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR WERE VERY STRONG,
4. WE MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER SEEKING THE ACTIVE COOPERATION OF THE CHINESE BY TIPPING THEM OFF WHEN WE KNOW THAT TRAWLERS INTEND TO DROP THEIR ILLEGAL CARGOES IN CHINESE WATERS. AS SEEN FROM HERE THERE WOULD BE SOME ADVANTAGE IN ACTIVE COOPERATION WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES IN COMBATTING THE MARCOTICS TRADE. THIS SUBJECT MIGHT WELL BE DISCUSSED WITH
SECRET
/ THE CHINESE
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.