TNAG-0692-FCO40-842-Congolese-diplomatic-correspondence-found-at-Kai-Tak-Airport-1977 — Page 16

L

GR 255

PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

SECRET

FM KINSHASA 231030Z JUNE

SECRET

RACEIVED IN

CASTRY NO. 51

24 JUN1977

TOP COPY

R

Tolgant

lalegram to

H.L. | Kinara.

WKK 404/1

LAST

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO. 244 OF 23 JUNE 77 AND PRIORITY HONG KONG.

RIS

BEXT

REF.

(10)

13

Diam

2416.

FCO TELNO. 477 OF 22 JUNE TO HONG KONG: GREAT SUITCASE MYSTERY,

TUR HAS CROSSED WITH MASSINGHAM'S TELELETTER C014/2A OF

22 JUNE TO MILTON OF HK GD (NOT COPIED HONG KONG),

2.

WHILST WE ARE WELL CONTENT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS 1(A) AND (B) IN TUR, WE URGE STRONGLY THAT DECISION TO CONFISCATE ARMS AND AMMUNITION SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED.

3

YOU WILL SEE FROM MASSINGHAM'S TELELETTER THAT CONGOLES ARE VERY SENSITIVE ABOUT THIS WHOLE MATTER, AS THEY HAVE BEEN

MORE CARELESS THAN CULPABLE, AND BECAUSE ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER

HAS STATED THAT THE ARMS AND AMMUNITION WERE DESTINED FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL GUARD, WE WOULD SEE GREAT MERIT AND ADVANTAGE IN DEVISING MEANS FOR RETURN OF WEAPONS TO CONGOLESE

4. IF WE CAN THUS AVOID AT MINIMAL INCONVENIENCE AND COST TO OURSELVES IRRITATING A GOVERNMENT WITH WHICH WE MAINTAIN REMOTE BUT GOOD RELATIONS, WE OUGHT TO DO SO. CONFISCATION OF WEAPONS WOULD AT BEST BEWILDER CONGOLESE AND MORE LIKELY BE INTERPRETED BY THEM AS A DELIBERATE AFFRONT.

5. FOLLOWING THE ASSASSINATION OF NGOUABI IN MARCH, POLITICAL SITUATION IN RULING JUNTA HAS BEEN FINELY BALANCED, THERE ARE PALPABLE SIGNS (E.G. RESUMPTION OF RELATIONS WITH UNITED STATES) HOWEVER OF WILLINGNESS TO MOVE TOWARDS THE WEST. IN THE

SECRET

/PARCCHIAL