1/17/9
Mr Archer - MAR
POZORENE IN PREDATZ
CC
1/Secretary A & S PS/FUSS A & S
Mr Hubback
Mr Manson
普
KAR
kr Standon Mr Pentreath
MAR
ID
HONG KONG REGISTER: MESTING WITH GOVERNOR
119
Then the Governor called in this afternoon to discuss this with the Minister, he made the following points:
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2.
3.
1.
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He accepted that a public statement should be made along the lines of the text the Minister showed him. This is now in hand.
It would be helpful for the ground to be prepared in Hong Kong, so that the owners there could be prompted to welcome the announcement in principle but to decline to comment on details. I have arranged this with Mr Stuart at the 700, who is consulting Mr Fletcher and is sending a telegram to Government louse.
On the substance of the matter, the crucial question was personnol.
Once the Hong Kong owners knew the standards of eligibility that we would insist on, they would be able to give the commitments to tonnage that the Minister was seeking.
Nevertheless, the team we are sending out would have to go beyond merely laying down general criteria. They should be prepared to make a pilot survey, involving firm decisions on the eligibility of those officers whom they saw.
Similar considerations apply to safety standarda.
6. After discussion of the financing of the team, he accepted,
thoúgn without firm commitment, that kong Kong would pay their fares end subcistonce if the UK poid their salaries.
7.
On the cligibility of JK owners, he was willing to do whatever we wentod. By one means or another, he thought a flight of tunawge to the new Register could be prevented.
For his part, the Minister stressed his insistence on adequate ton- ne commitments from the owners before HMG would be committed.
w/Finister for Aerospace and Shipping
* 717 Axt 5145 1 V/3
12 Damenbre 1975