TNAG-2621-FCO40-3812-Visits-by-Alastair-Goodlad--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-an-1992 — Page 109

CONFIDENTIAL

46)

031326 MDHIAN 5011

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELNO 1388

OF 22041OZ MAY 92

HKD 026/13

2B

TOP COPY Q DIST?

FOLLOWING FOR RICKETTS, HKD FROM POLITICAL ADVISER

$3

YOUR TELNO 839: MR GOODLAD'S VISIT: LAW AND ORDER

السلام

22/5

THE POLICE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THE LIAISON OFFICER IDEA WITH THE CHINESE ANY FURTHER SINCE THE COMMISSIONER PROPOSED IT. DETAILS HAVE THEREFORE NOT BEEN SETTLED. HOWEVER THE POLICE ENVISAGE THE LIAISON OFFICER OR OFFICERS OPERATING AND BEING HANDLED IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS OTHER LIAISON OFFICERS, E.G. REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FBI, RCMP OR JAPANESE NATIONAL AGENCY, WHO ARE POSTED IN HONG KONG. THEY WOULD PROBABLY OPERATE OUT OF NCNA AND BE TREATED THE SAME WAY AS OTHER NCNA STAFF. ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NO CONSULAR STATUS UNDER THE LAW, THE POLICE DO OBSERVE A DEGREE OF CIRCUMSPECTION IN HANDLING CASES INVOLVING NCNA STAFF MEMBERS. THE LIAISON OFFICERS WOULD OF COURSE NOT/NOT BE ABLE TO OPERATE OR EXERCISE JURISDICTION IN ANY SENSE IN HONG KONG.

2. THE PURPOSE OF HAVING THEM HERE WOULD BE TO FACILITATE OUR DEALINGS WITH THE CHINESE POLICE IN ALL PROVINCES (I.E. NOT ONLY WITH PEKING AND IN GUANGDONG). THE PROPOSAL IS THAT THE LIAISON OFFICERS SHOULD BE SUFFICIENTLY SENIOR TO CUT THROUGH CHINESE RED TAPE AND CONTACT THOSE WHO CAN TAKE QUICK DECISIONS. DAY TO DAY CONTACT WOULD BE WITH THE DEPUTY DIRECT. CRIME AND THE INTERPOL STAFF OFFICER, AS IS THE CASE WITH LIAISON OFFICERS FROM OTHER POLICE FORCES.

3. FINALLY, AN IMPORTANT CORRECTION TO OUR TELNO 1386, PARA 5. IT WAS OF COURSE THE GOVERNOR, NOT ME, WHO AUTHORISED THE CP TO PURSUE THE LIAISON OFFICER IDEA.

WILSON

YYYY

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CONFIDENTIAL