CPS 200
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG #10145Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL.
RED IN
REGISTRY No. 51
2 NOV 1973
HKCK 21/2
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 1250 OF 1 NOVEMBER. 1973
HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER.
(128
2.
Chito in Archer 12.X1
0.71
I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE U.K. PRESS HAS PICKED UP MISLEADING REPORTS PUBLISHED HERE ON 30 OCTOBER OF AN INTERVIEW WITH FLETCHER, DIRECTOR OF MARINE WHO RETURNED TO HONG KONG ON 29 OCTOBER AND WAS MET BY THE PRESS AT THE AIRPORT. THE HEADLINES IN THE MORNING PAPERS OF 30 OCTOBER INCLUDED QUOTE BRITAIN AGREES TO HONG KONG REGISTER UNQUOTE AND QUOTE AGREEMENT ON SHIPPING REGISTER UNQUOTE.
2. FLETCHER SAW REPORTERS FROM THE MAIN NEWSPAPERS AGAIN ON 30 OCTOBER IN AN ATTEMPT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. BASING HIS BRIEFING ON YOUR PRESS NOTICE OF 12 SEPTEMBER 1973, HE MADE
THE FOLLOWING POINTS :-
(A) THE TALKS IN LONDON WITH D.T.1. OFFICIALS HAD GONE SATISFACTORILY. THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED HAD BEEN DISCUSSED AND AGREEMENT REACHED IN PRINCIPLE ON THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY MIGHT
BE RESOLVED.
(B) A D.T.1. TEAM IS NOW IN HONG KONG TO STUDY THESE PROBLEMS IN MORE DETAIL, AND WILL REPORT BACK TO YOU.
(C) THE DEGREE OF SUPPORT FOR A SEPARATE REGISTER DEPENDS UPON THE HONG KONG SHIP-OWNERS, ALTHOUGH ASSUMING THAT OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS COULD BE RESOLVED, HE THOUGHT SUPPORT WOULD BE FORTHCOMING.
(D) IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS STAGE TO SAY WHETHER OR NOT A SEPARATE REGISTER WILL BE ESTABLISHED, BUT NEGOTIATIONS WITH D.T.I. ARE GOING AHEAD SATISFACTORILY, AND NO TIME IS BEING WASTED.
3. I HOPE THAT THE RECORD HAS NOW BEEN SET STRAIGHT. BUT IN RESPONSE
TO ANY ENQUIRIES AT YOUR END I SUGGEST YOU DRAW ON PARA 2 29 FCO PASS.
CONFIDENTIAL