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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO TELELETTER
FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
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TELELETTER REF PA CR 4/3221/86
OF 290845Z SEPTEMBER
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FROM
FOLLOWING FOR
: CT WOOD ESQ, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT, FCO
: SE BRADLEY, DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER
HONG KONG
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MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE
1.
THANKS FOR YOUR LETTER OF 6 SEPTEMBER. THERE ARE INDEED SEVERAL
STRANDS TO THIS MATTER. PROGRESS ON THE DIFFERENT BUT INTERCONNECTED
ISSUES WILL NO DOUBT MOVE AT VARYING SPEEDS, SO AS TIME GOES ON IT
WILL BE NECESSARY TO WATCH THE CROSS REFERENCES.
AS
2.
THE FIRST SUBJECT IS CO-OPERATION ON ALL ASPECTS OF SUPRESSING
DRUG TRAFFICKING. YOU WILL BE AWARE OF THE AMERICAN APPROACH EARLIER
THIS SUMMER REQUESTING HONG KONG TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT ON THIS. WE
WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS IDEA FOR TWO REASONS. FIRSTLY, THE RHKP WERE UNEASY ABOUT GIVING THE US DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY A BINDING
LEGAL AGREEMENT ON WHICH TO BASE THEIR REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE.
IT IS, THE AMERICANS ARE GIVEN TO THROWING THEIR WEIGHT AROUND SOMEWHAT AND WE FEARED THAT SIGNING AN AGREEMENT MIGHT RESULT IN THE
POLICE BEING FORCED TO DEVOTE EXCESSIVE RESOURCES TO FOLLOWING UP
AMERICAN REQUESTS, TO THE DETRIMENT OF OTHER DUTIES. SECONDLY, ANY SUCH AGREEMENT WOULD CREATE NEW IROS AND WOULD REQUIRE CONSULTATION
WITH THE CHINESE. THIS PROCESS WOULD TAKE TIME. AS THE DRIVE BEHIND
THE AMERICAN PROPOSAL IS CONGRESSIONAL AND POLITICAL, WE FEARED THE RESULTING DELAY IN OUR RESPONSE, ALTHOUGH NO FAULT OF OURS, MIGHT ITSELF DRAW CRITICISM (FOOTDRAGGING, ETC.).
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WE ARE THEREFORE DRAFTING AN OFFICIAL LETTER WHICH ADDRESSES AS
FAR AS POSSIBLE THE AREAS DESCRIBED IN THE MODEL DRAFT OF THE
PROPOSED AGREEMENT. THIS LETTER WILL DESCRIBE OUR CURRENT CO-
OPERATION, REAFFIRM OUR FULL AGREEMENT WITH US OBJECTIVES, HIGHLIGHT
AREAS IN WHICH WE WILL BE DOING MORE, AND STRESS OUR WILLINGNESS TO CO-OPERATE FURTHER. AS THIS LETTER WILL FALL SHORT OF CREATING
IROS AS SUCH WE CAN GET ON WITH IT OURSELVES, AND THUS BE SEEN TO BE MAKING A STRONG PROMPT RESPONSE.
4.
CURRENTLY HK IS DRAFTING LEGISLATION TO PERMIT THE ATTACHMENT OF
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CONFIDENTIAL
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