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LINE TO TAKE
15. We are glad to be discussing a Maritime Agreement with you once again. Such an agreement would form an essential framework for the development of our bilateral shipping relations. Both our peoples welcome this as part of developing ties of friendship generally.
16. We should like to use this meeting as a means of enabling us to see whether there would be advantage in resuming the earlier negotia- tions. Some time has elapsed since the earlier negotiations and there has been scope for reflection on both sides. Without going into detail, or in any way negotiating, we should like to recapitu- late on the earlier negotiations and share our thoughts with you about where things now stand. Such a sharing of thoughts would enable us to identify the main issues which arise and to see if future progress can be made.
17. There appear to have been two main issues which arose during the earlier negotiations. Both of these arose from your responses to our draft text of the Agreement. The first of these concerned 'the position of Hong Kong. Our text had been drafted in such a way as to reflect adequately both Governments' positions while at the same time solving the concrete problems of Hong Kong ships and seamen. There appeared to be a feeling on your side that the text did not adequately reflect your position and that the concrete problems of Hong Kong ships' and seamen should be dealt with outside the Agree- ment. As I mentioned before some time has elapsed since earlier negotiations and our bilateral relations have developed considerably in the meantime. We are anxious that Hong Kong should play its part in the development of these relations, as indeed it is already doing. It would therefore help us to know your present feelings on this
matter.
18. The second issue on which we have reflected concerns the quest- ion of discrimination. We are opposed to the concept of discrimina- tion as between one flag and another. We are concerned that in making a bilateral Agreement we should not be seen to be party to any discrimination against a third party, whether vessels or seamen. Once again it would help us to know your present feelings on this
matter.
SP3C