164
T/L TO HONG KONG
FCO T/L 07961
GRS 407
CONFIDENTIAL
65
TELELETTER
FROM R J F HOARE, HKGD, FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
W
нки ого/2
25/11
Pas astu
35784
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Claues with
lift Lefors HPPB.
Bu noted for Mr. Burton
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FILE REFERENCE HKK 020/2 DATED 12 NOVEMBER 1982
FOLLOWING FOR R P MARGOLIS ESQ, DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG
HONG KONG CHINESE IN ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARY SERVICE
FLEET
/MOVE,
22/4/12
Yoursan.
عدى
See (20
1. IN OUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 460 OF 18 JUNE WE MENTIONED THAT THE
POLICY OF EMPLOYING HONG KONG SEAMEN IN THE RFA WAS UNDER REVIEW
BUT THAT NO EARLY CHANGE WAS CONTEMPLATED. YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER
642 OF 18 JUNE POINTED OUT THE POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH A
MOVE, BUT INDICATED A GENERAL WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER IT. I
See HKRO20/2 BELIEVE THE CBF HAS ALSO DISCUSSED THIS BRIEFLY WITH THE GOVERNOR. 1983
2) 2. MOD HAVE NOW ASKED US TO COMMENT ON DRAFT PROPOSALS THAT
THEY WILL SHORTLY SUBMIT TO THE ADMIRALTY BOARD, RECOMMENDING
A PHASED WTTHDRAWAL OF CHINESECCREWS FROM THE RFA. THEY CONSIDER
THAT, IN VIEW OF THE DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED ON BOTH SIDES DURING THE FALKLANDS CAMPAIGN, SUCH A PHASING OUT IS INEVITABLE. WE ARE TOLD THAT THIS CONCLUSION IS VIEWED WITH SOME SADNESS BY THE RFA SERVICE, BECAUSE IN PEACETIME THE HONG KONG CHINESE ARE EXEMPLARY
SEAMEN.
3. MOD ARE SUGGESTING A PROGRAMME PHASED OVER 5 YEARS TO MINIMISE ANY PROBLEMS:
JULY 1982
LATE 1982
STROMNESS
SIR GALAHAD)
SIR TRISTAM )
SIR BEDIVERE
PLUMLEAF
PEARLEAF
APRIL 1984
APRIL 1984
OCTOBER 1984
SIR GERAINT
SIR PERCIVALE
SIR LANCELOT
APRIL 1985
APRIL 1986
APRIL 1987
coprent to Mr. Haworth Сорил
CFS Co-ord (N)A MOD
Main Building On 12/11
STROMNESS WAS CHANGED TO UK CREWING IMMEDIATELY ON RETURN FROM
THE SOUTH ATLANTIC, AFTER THE MAJORITY OF THE CREW HAD THREATENED
1
CONFIDENTIAL