CONFIDENTIAL
3-
Flag A
Flag B
As
as it would be difficult to arrange for the whole ship's
company to have shore leave during a shorter period.
regards point (a), Mr. Wilford suggests on his own initiative
that we might draw a distinction between large and small
nuclear-powered ships and possibly exclude nuelear submarines
and frigates from the limitation of four visits a year placed
on nuclear vessels as a whole. We have to decide how to
proceed.
Recommendation
4. I recommend that
(A) We agree that CVS's and LPH's be deleted from point (b).
(B) We agree that the duration of the visit of nuclear-powered
ships may stand at five days.
that
(C) We indicate, subject to the state of relations with China,
7
we would be prepared to consider sympathetically
applications for the visits of smaller nuclear ships over
and above the limit of four a year. The total number of
visits by nuclear vessels of all kinds should not exceed
about 6, spaced at intervals of about two months.
I attach a draft telegram to Hong Kong in which the Commonwealth
Office concur.
Background and Argument
5. As indicated in my submission of 31 July the background to
the instructions sent to Hong Kong in Commonwealth Office
the telegram No. 1346 was/earlier decision to conduct a review of
our policy on U.S. naval visits following the protest by the
Chinese Government in May about the visit of the nuclear-powered
CONFIDENTIAL
/aircraft