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FM F C O 211050Z
CONFIDENTIAL
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TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NUMBER 611 OF 21 JUNE, 1973
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 645: HONG KONG REGISTER OF SHIPPING.
FOLLOWING FROM MINISTER OF AEROSPACE AND SHIPPING.
WE HAVE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE POINTS IN YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE AND THE COMMENTS ON THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT ENCLOSED WITH THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE'S LETTER OF 1 JUNE, MADE AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS.
WE NOTE THE VIEW THAT IF ONLY THE PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT WERE TO BE PUT INTO EFFECT IT WOULD BE ''EXCEPTIONAL FOR SHIPOWNERS TO REGISTER MORE SHIPS IN HONG KONG BUT IF A MUCH LARGER MEASURE OF AGREEMENT COULD BE REACHED A SEPARATE HONG KONG REGISTER MIGHT CONTAIN SOME 10.9M GROSS REGISTERED TONS DY 1975 OR SO. AT THE SAME TIME, WE CONSIDER IT ESSENTIAL TO DEMONSTRATE THAT ANY NEW ARRANGEMENTS DO NOT INVOLVE LOWERING STANDARDS OF EQUIPMENT OR SAFE MANNING.
ACCORDINGLY WE MAKE THE FOLLOWING PROPOSALS IN ORDER TO SECURE
AGREEMENT:
(1)
MASTERS OF VESSELS ON THE HONG KONG REGISTER WOULD BE BRITISH WITH THE REQUISITE BRITISH OR EQUIVALENT COMMONWEALTH CERTIFICATE.
(2) THE SECOND-IN-COMMAND OF VESSELS ON THE HONG KONG REGISTER WOULD EITHER HAVE TO BE BRITISH OR BONA FIDE HONG KONG RESIDENTS HOLDING THE REQUISITE BRITISH OR EQUIVALENT COMMONWEALTH CERTIFICATE BY EXAMINATION: WE ARE PREPARED TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF SETTING WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS IN CHINESE IF THIS WERF FELT TO BE HELPFUL.
CONFIDENTIAL
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