CONFIDENTIAL
20
164136
MDHIAN 2623
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 30123OZ FCO
TELNO 1706
OF 30110OZ MAY 90
HKB 177/
0 1 JUN 1990
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
18.
OUR TELNO 1676: INCIDENT ON 3 MAY IN HONG KONG WATERS
1. LATE ON 28 MAY THE CHINESE FINALLY AGREED TO A BORDER LIAISON MEETING. IT WAS HELD TODAY (30 MAY). THE RESULT IS THAT THE CHINESE HAVE AGREED TO RETURN THE TUG, LIGHTER AND 5 MAN CREW BUT NOT THE 3 STOLEN CARS. THE VESSELS AND THE CREW ARE BEING RELEASED THIS EVENING.
2. THE FOLLOWING JOINT STATEMENT WAS AGREED:
''IN RESPONSE TO THE HONG KONG SIDE'S SUGGESTION, BORDER LIAISON OFFICIALS FROM BOTH HONG KONG AND GUANGDONG HELD A MEETING IN SHENZHEN ON 30 MAY ABOUT THE CASE OF THE HONG KONG SMUGGLING VESSEL
WHICH HAPPENED ON 3 MAY.
''AT THE MEETING, BOTH SIDES GAVE THEIR OWN ACCOUNT OF THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AND HELD CONSULTATIONS ON HOW TO RESOLVE THE CASE. THE GUANGDONG SIDE AGREED TO RELEASE THE ARRESTED MEN AND THE BOATS AND STATED THAT THE SMUGGLED CARS HAD BEEN CONFISCATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RELEVANT CHINESE LAWS.
''AT THE MEETING BOTH SIDES EXCHANGED VIEWS ON IMPROVING COOPERATION AND MEASURE TO CURB SMUGGLING BETWEEN GUANGDONG AND HONG KONG. BOTH SIDES STRESSED THAT ON THE BASIS OF PREVIOUS FRIENDLY COOPERATION, FURTHER LIAISON WOULD HELP TO CURB SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE PEACE AND GOOD ORDER OF THE HONG KONG/GUANGDONG BORDER.''
3. AT THE MEETING ITSELF, BOTH SIDES WENT THROUGH THE FACTS. IN OUR CASE THESE WERE AS GIVEN TO LEGCO: IN THE CHINESE CASE AS IN THE STATEMENTS WHICH THEY HAD PUT OUT, WITH THE ADDITION THAT THEY HAD CONFISCATED THE 3 CARS. IN RESPONSE TO THE PHOTOGRAPHS WHICH WE HANDED OVER, THE GUANGDONG SIDE MADE NO DETAILED ATTEMPT TO REFUTE WHAT WE BELIEVE THE PHOTOS SHOWED. THEY SIMPLY STUCK TO THE LINE THAT THEY DID NOT EXPLAIN EVERYTHING. THEY MENTIONED THAT THE 5 MAN CREW HAD CONFESSED TO BEING INVOLVED IN SMUGGLING, BUT THEY
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