TNAG-0692-FCO40-842-Congolese-diplomatic-correspondence-found-at-Kai-Tak-Airport-1977 — Page 18

X

CONFIDENTIAL

KINSHASA TL 156

GR 450

23 JUN 1977

TELELETTER

CONFIDENTIAL

FILE REF:

NICCGOV

11

C 014/2A

DATED 22 JUNE 1977.

FOLLOWING FOR:

FROM:

D.F. MILTON ESQ., HONG KONG AND GENERAL DEPARTMENT, FCO.

J.D. MASSINGHAM, KINSHASA

CONGOLESE DOCUMENTS AND THE GREAT SUITCASE MYSTERY.

PLEASE REFER TO DONALD'S LETTER SCR L/M32/77 OF 20 MAY.

2. YOU OUGHT TO KNOW THAT, WHEN THE AMBASSADOR VISITED BRAZZAVILLE LAST WEEK, THE ONLY POINT OF SUBSTANCE THAT THE ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER RAISED WITH HIM WAS THE GREAT SUITCASE MYSTERY. ACCORDING TO THE MINISTER THIS ''DIPLOMATIC BAG'' HAD BEEN DESPATCHED FROM NEW YORK BY AIR FRANCE IN JULY LAST YEAR AND HAD BEEN SENT ON ACCIDENTALLY TO HONG KONG. HE ALSO SAID THAT, APART FROM THE OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE, THE BAG CONTAINED 'NEW'› PISTOLS OF UNITED STATES MANUFACTURE THAT HAD BEEN BOUGHT SPECIALLY FOR THE CONGOLESE PRESIDENTIAL GUARD. (THIS OF COURSE DOES NOT QUITE SQUARE WITH HONG KONG'S SPECIAL BRANCH REPORT THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THEM IS STOLEN PROPERTY).

3. THE AMBASSADOR SIMPLY TOLD THE MINISTER THAT THE MATTER HAD BEEN REFERRED BOTH TO THE FCO AND THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG AND THAT WE WERE STILL AWAITING INSTRUCTIONS. HE ADDED OUR ASSURANCE FROM HIS OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WERE PUNCTILIOUS IN RESPECTING DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES AND THAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN NO QUESTION OF THIS BAG HAVING BEEN IMPROPERLY OPENED. (DONALD'S LETTER UNDER REFERENCE HAD IN FACT ARRIVED ONLY AS THE AMBASSADOR WAS SETTING OFF FOR HIS VISIT AND HE COULD NOT THEREFORE DRAW UPON IT IN MAKING ANY INFORMAL REPLY).

4. NO DOUBT WE SHALL BE HEARING BY THE NEXT CONFIDENTIAL BAG WHAT DECISION YOU HAVE TAKEN ABOUT RETURNING THE TEN ENVELOPES (PARA. 4 OF DONALD'S LETTER UNDER REFERENCE). BUT WE VERY MUCH HOPE THAT YOU AND THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WILL AGREE TO FIND SOME WAY ALSO OF RETURNING THE PISTOLS TO THE CONGOLESE UNDER SUITABLE SAFEGUARDS. WHILST IT IS UNARGUABLE THAT THE REVOLVERS AND AMMUNITION ENTERED HONG KONG ILLEGALLY IT WAS OF COURSE BY NO FAULT OF THE CONGOLESE AUTHORITIES. SINCE WE HAVE NO REASON TO SUPPOSE THAT THEY WERE NOT MEANT FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL GUARD, WE SHOULD LIKE TO AVOID NEEDLESSLY IRRITATING THEM BY SEEING THE DUE PROCESS OF LAW ENACTED IN HONG KONG. THE WHOLE AFFAIR IS A SILLY MUDDLE, BUT A LONG LEGAL PROCESS FOR THE WEAPONS DISPOSAL SIMPLY WOULD NOT BE UNDERSTOOD IN BRAZZAVILLE. WE VERY MUCH HOPE THEREFORE THAT SOMETHING INFORMAL CAN BE ARRANGED TO ENSURE THEIR RETURN, POSSIBLY THROUGH THE CONGOLESE EMBASSY IN PARIS.

5. I HAVE NOT GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS WITHIN THE TEXT OF THIS TELELETTER FOR ITS BEING COPIED TO HONG KONG AND I TRUST THAT YOU WILL ARRANGE THIS - IF APPROPRIATE - BY WHATEVER MEANS SEEMS MOST SUITABLE TO YOU.

6.

HONG KONG AND GENERAL DEPARTMENT REGISTRY PLEASE PASS TO W.A.D.

Passed

SIGNED:

204/41

236

J.D. MASSINGHAM