GR 180
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 51
16 APR 1974
TOP COPY
30
1:57
RE:
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CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 361 OF 10 APRIL 1974
19742
REGISTER OF SHIPPING.
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1. WE ARE FORWARDING, BY BAG, FOUR COPIES OF THE DOT STUDY TEAM'S REPORT ON THE FEASIBILITY OF SETTING UP A SEPARATE REGISTER, TOGETHER WITH TWO COPIES OF THE LENGTHY ANNEXES TO THE REPORT.
2. DOT MINISTERS HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO CONSIDER FULLY THEIR
ATTITUDE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A HONG KONG REGISTER OR TO THE
REVISED PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD IN THE TEAM'S REPORT, OWING TO
ABSENCES, THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A VIEW UNTIL AT LEAST
THE END OF THIS MONTH AND IN SENDING THE REPORT WE HAVE BEEN ASKED
TO SAY THAT IT IS ENTIRELY WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE DECISION WHICH
THEY WILL TAKE,
3. MEANWHILE IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE YOUR REACTIONS TO THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED BY THE STUDY TEAM INCLUDING THE LIKELY ATTITUDE
OF HONG KONG SHIFOWNERS. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL, HOWEVER, IF YOU
COULD BEAR IN MIND THE NEED FOR CONFIDENTIALITY AT THIS STAGE: DOT
HAVE NOT YET CONSULTED THE UK SHIPPING INDUSTRY ABOUT THE TEAM'S
REPORT AND WOULD THEREFORE BE EMBARRASSED BY LEAKS, NO ONE OUTSIDE
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WILL SEE THE ANNEXES AND WE WOULD ASK YOU TO
TREAT THEM SIMILARLY.
CALLAGHAN
FILE S
HKIOD
MTD
MR YOUDE
SIR D WATSON MR MARSHALL
COPY TO:
CONFIDENTIAL
MR J ARCHER
DEPT OF TRADE
MARINE DIVISION
SUNLEY HOUSE