་་་
CONFIDENTIAL
Reference
(23)
My Duffy
Mr Stewart
Draft to issus
FURTHER LETTER FROM THE ROYAL SOCIETY
Jalo
1. Following your reply of 27 July to Dr Stoker's letter of 11 July to "r Buxton, Head of " & GD, the Royal Society's Executive Secretary has now written, at Dr Stoker's request, to query your use of the word "occasional" in your letter of 27 July.
2. As we agreed it would seem best if you coped with "r Keay's letter as you dealt with Dr Stoker's, that is by telephoning and giving him further background to the matters raised by this correspondence and then by sending him a short formal reply to his letter which is considerably less informative than your telephone conversation. (The previous line you took is flagged).
3. As to a line to take now with Dr Stoker you might consider explaining to him that as on the previous occasion you will be sending a written reply to the letter but that meanwhile he might like to have a little more over the telephone than you can put in writing. You had not intended your use of the word "occasional" in your letter of 27 July to imply that the Hong Kong Government occasionally permitted Russian ships to enter Hong Kong, although they sometimes do, but to suggest that Soviet research vessels only occasionally seek to enter that port. In fact three Soviet Government research vessels applied for permission to visit Hong Kong in 1976. The Hong Kong Government allowed the "Professor Yushchenko" into Hong Kong in February 1976 when it
but was towing the "My Glukha' which had broken down with engine trouble, refused permission to "Dimitriy "endelev" and the "Poseidon". Soviet motives in all these instances were suspect, as now. Dr Stoker might like to know that the Soviet Embassy recently applied for permission for the "Dimitriy Mendekev" to visit Hong Kong later this year, apparently in the course of the boat's present research project into the Kuro Siwo current. The latter does not enter the South China Sea at all and, at its closest to Hong Kong the current still lies some 600-800 klms away. It is difficult therefore to understand why the boat needs to call at Hong Kong.
4. I attach a draft reply to Dr Stoker's most recent letter. This has been cleared around interested Departments.
5. As to the "Dimitriy "endelev" I have drafted a submission (copy attached) which I am clearing with the MOD, EESD and FED. Even in its raw state, it may however be useful to you when you speak to Dr Stoker.
24 August 1977
CODE 18-77
SS 10/76
CONFIDENTIAL
۱۳۸۵ اگر کرا
T J David
Hong Kong and General Department