MR LANE PS/MINISTER FOR A&S
48
Сс
PA &
PS/PUSS A&S Secretary A&S
Mr Hubback
Dep Sec
Mr Brigstocke - SP Mr Manson - SG(MAR)
G
Mr Standen MAR 1 Mr Madigan MAR 4
Mr Andrew Stuart
FCO
HONG KONG REGISTER
uzla
43
48/2/1/11
Since 26 April when I last minuted to you on this subject, with a revised draft interim report intended for No 10, there have been two developments, viz:
ACK/21/2
(a) A further telegram has arrived from the Governor of
Hong Kong (Annex A) in response to our request that they expedite their comments, saying that we cannot have these before the second half of the month. They are apparently trying to get some kind of undertaking from their shipowners regarding the tonnage they would be prepared to place on a separate Hong Kong register and, of course, Mr Pao has been absent from Hong Kong recently. In the circumstances, we can hardly press the Governor further to respond more quickly.
(b).
The Minister has received from Mr Denholm (Annex B) the letter promised at his meeting with representatives of the Chamber of Shipping and Shipping Federation
SP and Marine setting out the views of the two bodies. Divisions have carefully considered this and a note of each of the points made and our comments on them appears at Annex C. That note is necessarily rather lengthy and detailed. The Minister may like us to discuss the details at official level with the two bodies. We might at the same time consider with them the possibility of sending either a copy of Mr Denholm's letter or a separate note to Hong Kong outlining their views so that these can be taken into account in Hong Kong's reply. (For their part Hong Kong have agreed to send us a copy of the document they have sent to their shipowners.) In that case, the Minister may wish to reply very briefly to Mr Denholm as drafted at Annex D.
During my forthcoming absence in the United States, Mr Standen, in consultation with Mr Manson and Mr Madigan, will be handling this issue within Marine Division.
Entree
hrew
J/N ARCHER
MAR 7 May 1973
!