TNAG-0905-FCO40-1115-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 12

Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1A 2AH

HKK 34 fleshine 01- 233-3274

CONFIDENTIAL

Mrs M B Williams

DS 5

Ministry of Defence Main Building Whitehall

по

3

151

Your reference D/DS5/7/5/71

Our reference DPE 062/393/1

77.6

4 July 1979

1/43

HONG KONG PATROLS

1

Thank you for your letter of 28 June concerning the request from CAPIC Hong Kong to be allowed to use hovercraft to patrol Deep Bay and to mount naval patrols to the west of Lantau Island.

2. As you will see from the attached telegram (No. 909) from the Political Adviser Hong Kong, the Governor has agreed that the Navy should use hovercraft in Deep Bay in the same way as the police, and with the same care in avoiding going too close to the Chinese shore. He does not consider that there is any need to tell the Chinese.

3. The question of naval patrols west of Lantau Island has been the subject of previous correspondence between the FCO and Hong Kong. I attach copies of two telegrams from Hong Kong (Nos. 695 and 708) from which it is clear that the original request to patrol further off the west coast of Lantau than at present has been withdrawn.

4. We consider there is no need to consult our Legal Advisers or Ministers on the question of hovercraft patrols in Deep Bay alone.

Cc:

Mr Williamson, HK&GD

D W Fall

Defence Department

CONFIDENTIAL