CONFIDENTIAL
3. However, whatever happened at Mr Heseltine's meeting, it
is obviously desirable that in their current consultations, the
Hong Kong Government should not go outside the companies with
a close connection with Hong Kong, and particularly that they
should not pay any attention to the Taiwanese or Communist ship
owners. It may not be possible for them to confine their con-
sultations to ship owners who actually have British nationality.
The Hong Kong Government are always careful to distinguish as
little as possible between those who have a British passport
and the Hong Kong Belongers who do not. They may accept the
argument that Masters, and even First Officers, have to be
British subjects if British laws are to be brought home to
them when they are outside Hong Kong. But I believe they would
expect that owners who were not British subjects would be
acceptable, provided that they had a real connection with Hong
Kong, as set out in the consultative document.
4. I do not think that the Hong Kong Government would want to
consult with owners who are not Hong Kong Belongers. But I had
anyway intended to underline to the Governor next week, our con-
clusion that delay is undesirable, particularly if Hong Kong can
be blamed for it. I will take the opportunity to say that we
assume, of course, that the consultations on the new Register
would be confined to those who would eventually benefit from it.
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept out the issue verry
4 May 1973
This seto
clearly in
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