CONFIDALAIAL
དག
DRAFT MINUTE FROM SECRETARY CF BIATE TO PRIME HUMI
PRIME MINISTER
FROPOSED HONG KONG REGISTER OF SKIPPING
Since you net Mr Y K Pao in December, Michael Heseltine
and his officials have been in close and continual
touch with the Hong Kong Government on this subject end
their Director of Marine and Deputy Economic Secretary
visited us this week for discussions. As a result we
have worked out proposals which are summariced in the
enclosed consultativo document.
2. These do not go as far as Mr Pao would like in
that Masters of ships on the Hong Kong register would
still have to be British subjects and First Mates and
Angineers would have to pass our examinations. However,
there is a good prospect that we might achieve grouter
flexibility in these respects as a result of negotiations
with BBC countries and Norway (referred to in paragraph &
of the consultative document). European maritimo
countries traditionally require Masters of ships to be
their own nationals and unless we can negotiate changes
on a reciprocal basis, we shall be putting British
officers at a disadvantage. We also take the viow that
we cannot give the Hong Kong Director of Harino authority
to determine atandards regarding safety equipment, crew
accommodation end manning for ships flying the Red Vasiga
though we propose to delogate much greater authority