TNAG-2439-FCO40-3544-Hong-Kong-crime-1992 — Page 11

CONFIDENTIAL

HKA 380/2

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2415

OF 29104OZ SEPTEMBER 92

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

1.4

065660

MDHIAN 0888

TOP COPY Q DIST?

MIPT: LEGCO ADDRESS: LAW AND ORDER.

1.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT: BEGINS:

1). WE STILL HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH CROSS-BORDER CRIME. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH SMUGGLING, INCLUDING CAR THEFT, AND I AM DETERMINED THAT THE PENALTIES FOR INVOLVEMENT IN THESE ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY. BUT I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED BY CROSS-BORDER TRIAD ACTIVITIES AND THE VIOLENT CRIME WHICH THIS HAS BROUGHT TO OUR STREETS. I WELCOME THE CO-OPERATION OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN POSTING HERE TWO SENIOR PUBLIC SECURITY BUREAU OFFICERS TO ASSIST WITH ANTI-CRIME LIAISON. THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN A NUMBER OF SUCCESSES AS A RESULT OF THE CLOSER CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES: THE RETURN OF CRIMINAL OFFENDERS TO HONG KONG: AND THE EXCHANGE OF INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION ON CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES.

-

2). A RASH OF RECENT INCIDENTS INVOLVING POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS INCURSIONS BY CHINESE VESSELS INTO HONG KONG'S TERRITORIAL WATERS HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF CROSS-BORDER CO-OPERATION. IF CHINA IS WORRIED ABOUT SMUGGLING, I CAN SAY WITHOUT EQUIVOCATION 'SO ARE WE'. BUT THE RIGHT WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM IS THROUGH PLANNED, SENSITIVE AND EFFECTIVE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN PROPERLY CONTROLLED FORCES, ACTING WITHIN THEIR OWN BOUNDARIES.

3). WE HAVE EXPRESSED OUR GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT THESE RECENT INCIDENTS TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES IN HONG KONG, IN PEKING, IN LONDON AND IN NEW YORK. AND I INTEND TO RAISE THEM MYSELF WHEN I GO TO PEKING. I WANT TO END SMUGGLING. AND I WANT TO AVOID

PUTTING THE LIVES OF OUR POLICEMEN AT RISK IN OUR OWN WATERS. SO I SHALL PROPOSE TO PEKING THAT WE PLAN AND PUBLICLY IMPLEMENT A JOINT ANTI-SMUGGLING DRIVE. NO ONE CAN SURELY BE AGAINST THAT. IT WOULD SHOW STRONG, EXECUTIVE-LED GOVERNMENT ON BOTH SIDES IN DEFENCE OF OUR COMMON PROSPERITY AND STABILITY.

PATTEN