INFORMAL TRANSLATION
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation presents its compliments to Her Britannic Majesty's Embassy at Kinshasa and has the honour to communicate the following:
The Congolese Permanent Commission in New York sent, in July 1976, a diplomatic bag addressed to Brazzaville, via Air France. As the bag did not arrive at its destination enquiries were made of the airline company, with the result that the Congolese Government were informed at the beginning of this month a Congolese diplomatic bag, which had been lying around for months in Hong Kong, had been opened by the Hong Kong police. Various confidential letters contained in the bag have already been published in the newspapers. Effects addressed to the late President were seized. From representations made to Air France, it seems there are difficulties over the return of the bag.
The procedure employed by the Hong Kong police is contrary to international rules concerning diplomatic bags and constitutes a grave infringement of the secrecy of diplomatic correspondence, The Congolese Government condemns such a practice and asks the British Government to use its authority to obtain the return of the said bag and all its contents.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation thanks Her Britannic Majesty's Embassy for its kind intervention and avails itself of this opportunity to renew the assurances of its highest consideration.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.