}
boreda 96
Hong Kong
union concerned.
We have not yet put to the
unions the further easement mentioned above and
this is likely to be sharply criticised, 80
please ask the Hong Kong shipowners to treat
this as in confidence for the moment.
5. We are not prepared to entertain any change
in the British nationality requirement for
Masters and the Ministry of Defence strongly
supports our view. While the new arrangements
would, of course, be reviewed after they have
operated for a trial period, by which time we
hope that our discussions with EEC countries
would have yielded results, it should not be
assumed that this would lead to further
relaxations on our side, particularly with
regard to Masters. We have already gone
further in our proposals than any other
traditional maritime country with a first-class
safety record.
6.
Before I can confirm these proposals, I
need to have a reliable estimate of the ships
and tonnage expected to be added to the Hong Kong register; the recent estimates are disappointing and our new modification is
designed to improve these figures substantially.
While I appreciate what is said in paragraph 4
of your telegram of 12 July, we need full
assurance that the considerable new moves
/contemplated