TNAG-0690-FCO40-839-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 172

Mr David

Mr Stewart

HONG KONG: DRUGS

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2.

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Original at: PKK 381

Information only / Action on Parc(s)

This Copy for: KIZ JfJ

My minute of 13 January to Mr Male refers.

Mr Kidd telephoned this afternoon, with reference to his conversation with Mr David last week, to say that Mr Peter Lee, the Commissioner for Narcotics, who will be attending the Narcotics Conference in Paris at the end of this month, is accepting an invitation from the BBC to take part in one of their forthcoming programmes on Hong Kong. Since Mr Lee will be in London for this purpose, Mr Kidd has suggested that he might also meet members of the press at lunch "informally but on the record" to talk about the Hong Kong Government's efforts to stamp out drug trafficking etc. Mr Kidd said that, in his view, Mr Lee was not too good at this sort of thing and he (Mr Kidd) would have to try to ensure that Mr Lee did not say, as he was prone to do, that his department omild do more if the Government were to make more resources available. That was not, sååd Mr Kidd, the sort of thing that a member of the Government Secretariat ought to say. 3. Mr Lee's participation in the BBC's programme and his press luncheon, if it comes off, may help to restore Hong Kong's image on the drugs issue, as Mr Cortazzi would like to see happen.

17 January 1977

F Milton

Hong Kong Department

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