TNAG-2531-FCO40-3701-Hong-Kong-shipping-matters-1997 — Page 113

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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MDHIAN 9263

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FM TOKYO

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TELNO 432

OF 250747Z JUNE 92

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INFO PRIORITY CANBERRA, WASHINGTON, OSLO, BONN, THE HAGUE, PARIS INFO PRIORITY ASEAN POSTS, BRASILIA, MODUK, ODA, HONG KONG, ACTOR

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YOUR TELNOS 212, 213 AND 225 TO CANBERRA: PIRACY IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA

SUMMARY

1.

JAPANESE CONFIRM THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN DIPLOMATIC ACTION WITH INDONESIA, SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA. NOW CONCENTRATING ON SEEKING MORE RELIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCALE AND CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM.

DETAIL

2. THE JAPANESE WERE UNABLE TO MEET US STRAIGHTAWAY TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THEY WERE TIED UP WITH THE CAMBODIA CONFERENCE, BUT WE FAXED THEM THE SPEAKING NOTE LAST WEEK. POLITICAL COUNSELLOR MET REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SECOND SOUTH EAST ASIA DIVISION, OCEANS DIVISION AND SECOND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AFFAIRS DIVISION AT THE MFA ON 25 JUNE AND EXPLAINED OUR VIEWS. HE ALSO DREW ON REPORTS FROM OTHER POSTS TO INDICATE HOW OTHER COUNTRIES HAD SO FAR REACTED.

3.

THE JAPANESE SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN 14 ATTACKS ON JAPANESE SHIPS IN 1991 AND 11 SO FAR THIS YEAR. THE NUMBER WAS THUS INCREASING, BUT THE TOTAL DAMAGES IN 1991 AMOUNTED TO LESS THAN 35000 DOLLARS AND THERE WAS NO REPORT OF INJURY TO CREW-MEMBERS. DID WE HAVE INFORMATION ON DAMAGES SUFFERED BY UK SHIPS?

4. THE JAPANESE HAD INSTRUCTED THEIR EMBASSIES IN JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR AND SINGAPORE IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY TO EXPRESS THEIR SERIOUS CONCERN TO HOST GOVERNMENTS. ALL HAD EXPRESSED A WISH TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM BUT CITED A SHORTAGE OF BOATS AND PERSONNEL AS A CONSTRAINING FACTOR. OUR INTERLOCUTOR WAS LESS FRANK THAN TAKASU ABOUT THE INDONESIAN REQUEST FOR PATROL BOATS, BUT SAID THAT JAPAN HAD NO PLAN TO PROVIDE BOATS OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, PARTICULARLY

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