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(b) No Hong Kong problem.
Disadvantage:
(a) Would not provide all the benefits of a full- Maritime
Agreement.
(ii) Attempt to conclude Maritime Agreement
Advantage:
U.K.
(a) Would enable DOT to press for agreement on wider range
of issues (not just cargo sharing).
Disadvantages:
(a) Would be difficult to conclude. The Chinese would have
every incentive to stall, thus denying us the chance to
achieve our main objective on cargo sharing at an early
date.
(b) To attempt to include Hong Kong would open up the question
of the status of the colony.
(c) To exclude Hong Kong would have political, economic and
practical difficulties for the colony.
(iii) To press for an early exchange of letters under the ECA
as a prelude to pursuing a Maritime Agreement at a later
date.
Maritime, Aviation and Environment Dept
9 March 1979
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