GPS 350 CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIALOP COPY
FM HONG KONG 1885157 JUN 82
TO IMMEDIATE FCC
TELEGRAM NUMBER 642 OF 18 JUNE
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
Mick
02012
64
64
NR
FOR CLIFT, HK GD FROM POLITICAL ADVISER. HONG KONG CHINESE SEAMEN ON RFA SHIPS.
WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE (HONGAID TELNO HK 929) AND THROUGH MINISTRY OF DEFENCE CHANNELS THAT SOME 9% SURVIVORS OF THE RFA SHIPS SIR GALAHAD AND SIR TRISTRAM ARE BEING REPATRIATED TO HONG KONG AND COULD ARRIVE HERE ON 28 JUNE. 2. THERE WILL BE INTENSE PRESS INTEREST, PARTICULARLY AS AN ARTICLE IN YESTERDAY'S ''GUARDIAN'', PUBLICISED IN TODAY'S PRESS HERE, HAS REVIVED THE STORY THAT HONG KONG SEAMEN WERE OBLIGED BY THEIR CONTRACTS TO GO TO THE FALKLANDS: THAT SOME OF THEM WENT UNWILLINGLY: AND THAT BY CONTRAST BRITISH SEAMEN SERVING
ON THE SAME SHIFS WERE GIVEN THE OPTION OF WITHDRAWING BEFORE THE TASKFORCE SAILED.
3. WE NEED TO HAVE ALL AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON THIS AND OTHER
ASPECTS OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF HONG KONG SEAMEN IN THE FALKLANDS
BEFORE THE SEAMEN BEING REPATRIATED ARRIVE. CBF IS SEEKING TO
CLARIFY THE POSITION OVER RFA CONTRACTS, AND WHETHER THERE IS ANY
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENT BETWEEN THOSE SIGNED BY HONG KONG SEAMEN AND
THOSE SIGNED BY UK SEAMEN, THROUGH HIS OWN CHANNELS. HE IS ALSO ASKING FOR CONFIRMATION OR OTHERWISE OF REPORTS WE HAVE SEEN THAT THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS FROM MASTERS OF RFA SHIPS WITH THE TASKFORCE THAT THE PERFORMANCE OF HONG KONG CREWS HAS BEEN
UNSATISFACTORY IN SOME RESPECTS. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD IMPRESS UPON THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE THE IMPORTANCE OF
RESPONDING TO THESE ENQUIRIES AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE.
4. CBF UNDERSTANDS THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF EMPLOYING HONG KONG
SEAMEN IN RFA SHIPS IS BEING, OR IS ABOUT TO BE, REVIEWED. IN THIS CONNECTION THE CAPTAIN-IN-CHARGE HAS BEEN ASKED FOR HIS ASSESSMENT OF:
(A) THE LIKELY RESPONSE SHOULD THE RFA WISH TO RECRUIT FURTHER
SEAMEN IN HONG KONG POST-FALKLANDS : AND
(B) LOCAL REACTIONS SHOULD IT BE DECIDED TO PHASE OUT THE EMPLOYMENT OF HONG KONG SEAMEN.
5. IN OUR VIEW A DECISION TO REPLACE HONG KONG SEAMEN IN RFA SHIPS SHOULD NOT (NOT) BE TAKEN AT THIS TIME. THE SCOPE FOR MISINTERPRETATION IS OBVIOUS. WE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSE SUCH A DECISION IN THE LONGER TERM, BUT THE IMPLICATIONS WOULD NEED
CAREFUL CONSIDERATION (E G THE POSSIBILITY THAT IT MIGHT BE SEEN AS A STEP IN THE PROCESS OF UK DISENGAGEMENT FROM HONG KONG).
YOUDE
LIMITED HKOGD
DEF D
NEWS D SAMO
EMERGENCY UNIT
PS/ LORD BELSTEAD MR DONALD
COPIES TO
REMO 2416
See (65
sa(6:
HONG KONG GOVERN MENT OFFICE
LONDON
719
CONFIDENTIAL