RESTRICTED
FM HANOI
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 601
OF 090717Z SEPT 92
RESTRICTED
HKA 177/1
TOP COPY Q DIST?
012020
MDLIAN 0343
29
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, HONG KONG JOINT LIASON GROUP, PEKING
28
FCO TELNO 1341 TO HONG KONG: VIETNAM/CHINA
CHINESE SEIZURE OF VIETNAMESE VESSELS NEAR HONG KONG AND
TENSION IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA
·
1 I CHECKED AGAIN YESTERDAY WITH THE MFA WHO TELL ME THAT
THEY HAVE STILL RECEIVED NO REPLY FROM THE CHINESE TO
VIETNAMESE REPRESENTATIVES IN HANOI AND PEKING OVER THE
SEIZURE OF CHINESE VESSELS NEAR HONG KONG.
2.
THIS ISSUE HAS NOW HOWEVER BEEN OVERSHADOWED BY THE ARRIVAL
OF A CHINESE DRILLING SHIP FOR EXPLORATORY DRILLING IN THE GULF
OF TONKIN (19 DEGREES 17 MINUTES NORTH AND 107 DEGREES 16 MINUTES
EAST) TO BEGIN DRILLING OPERATIONS IN AN AREA CLAIMED BY VIETNAM.
THE VIETNAMESE HAVE PROTESTED THROUGH THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR HERE AND IN PEKING AND EXPRESSED ''DEEP CONCERN''. THE VIETNAMESE RECALLED THE CRESTONE OIL CONTRACT GRANTED BY CHINA OFF SOUTH VIETNAM AND THE AGREEMENT REACHED AT THE CHINESE/VIETNAM SUMMIT
MEETING TO THE EFFECT THAT PENDING A SOULUTION TO OUTSTANDING
ISSUES BOTH SIDES SHOULD REFRAIN FROM COMPLICATING THE SITUATION.
NO REPLY HAS BEEN RECEIVED SO FAR AND THE VIETNAMESE YESTERDAY PROCEEDED TO BRIEF OFFICIALLY ALL EMBASSIES IN HANOI ON THE
SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION WHILE UNDERLINING THE VIETNAMESE WISHES TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS THROUGH NEGOTIATION.
COMMENT
2. IT IS CLEAR THAT TERRITORIAL DISPUTES OVER THE SOUTH CHINA SEA ARE LIKELY TO BE A CONTINUING CAUSE OF TENSION. OPPORTUNITIES FOR TROUBLE IF EITHER SIDE IS LOOKING FOR IT WILL NOT BE LACKING. AS I HAVE ALREADY REPORTED BP WILL SHOOT SEISMIC IN THEIR NEW BLOCK (5:2) NEXT TO THE CRESTONE AREA LATER THIS WEEK (MY TELNO 454 NOT TO HONG KONG). THE SEISMIC WORK IS CONTRACTED TO SCHLUMBERGER (FRENCH) AND VESSEL IS PANAMIAN REGISTERED. IN ADDITION THE
VIETNAMESE HAVE NOW ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENTION TO CARRY OUT DEEP WATER SEISMIC SURVEYS (WORKING WITH A NORWEGIAN FIRM) ALONG A NORTH SOUTH LINE RUNNING ACROSS THE DISPUTED AREAS.
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