NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
foreign ports also) to contact the Director of
Marine, Hong Kong, in the event of a nationality
exemption renewal being required. In practice, this
would probably work more often than not but, from
Mr Pao's point of view, there would be no guarantee
that some British certificated senior officer could
not demand to take precedence for employment over a
foreign national of Mr Pao's choosing. This is the
weakest link in our argument to Mr Pao that we see
"no major obstacle or inconvenience" in Hong Kong
registration.
9. We are, nevertheless, obtaining legal and
technical advice on this and on other points raised
in Mr Pao's latest letter and I will write again when
this advice is available. In the meantime I should
be grateful to know your reaction to the foregoing
bearing in mind that Ministers are hopeful of finding
a satisfactory solution by the time Mr Pao visits
London again in September.
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(