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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1987
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THE UPPER FLAG WOULD UNTIL JUNE 30 1997 BE THE RED ENSIGN (THE NATIONAL FLAG FLOWN BY MERCHANT VESSELS ON THE BRITISH REGISTER); THE LOWER FLAG WOULD BE EITHER THE EXISTING HONG KONG FLAG (THE BLUE ENSION WITH THE HONG KONG ARMORIAL BEARINGS) OR, ONCE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES ON ITS DESIGN USE, A NEW HONG KONG REGIONAL FLAG.
"FROM JULY 1, 1997, THE UPPER FLAG WOULD BE THE FLAG OF PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE LOWER FLAG WOULD BE THE HONG REGIONAL FLAG, HE SAID.
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APART FROM THE FLAG, MR HIGGINSON SAID THE MAJOR AREAS IN WHICH HONG KONG WOULD DIVERGE FROM THE RULES AND PROCEDURES WHICH APPLIED TO THE BRITISH REGISTER WERE IN THE FIELDS OF NATIONAL MANNING REQUIREMENTS AND THE PRESENT GENUINE LINK BETWEEN THE SH1 P AND THE FLAG STATE.
HE SAID: "TO THIS EXTENT, HONG KONG CAN BE CONSIDERED TO BE AN OPEN REGISTER. BUT OUR MANNING PROPOSALS
WHICH PRESCRIRE QUALIFICATIONS RATHER THAN NATIONALITY
AND OUR GENUINE LINK PROVISIONS WHICH WILL BR CLOSER THAN THOSE AT PRESENT, REFLECT POLITICAL REALITY.
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"OPEN REGISTERS HAVE EVOLVED TO MERT DIFFERENT NEEDS IN THEIR VARIOUS WAYS AND THEY ARE HERE TO STAY. THAT IS A FACT OF LIFE."
MR HIGGINSON ADDED THAT IT WAS A GRIEVOUS ERROR TO EQUATE OPEN REGISTERS WITH SUB-STANDARD SHIPS.
"HONG KONG HAS NO INTENTION WHATSOEVER OF ALLOWING SUB-STANDARD SHIPS TO OPERATE ON ITS REGISTER.
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"QUITE THE REVERSE, HE SAID, "OUR TARGET IS THE ABOLITION OF SUB-STANTARD SHIPS WHICH DO NOT COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONALLY AGRRED SAFETY AND EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS,"
TURNING TO CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES, MR HIGGINSON SAID IT HAD BEEN ACCEPTED THAT THE SOCIETIES WOULD CONTINUE TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CARRYING OUT DELEGATED FUNCTIONS ON BEHALF OF THR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
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AT PRESENT ONLY LLOYD'S REGISTER OF SHIPPING AND FORRIGN CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES ENJOYED THIS DELEGATION. "IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO REVIEW THE EXTENT ΤΟ WHICH GOVERNMENT CAN PROPERLY DELEGATE SURVEY FUNCTIONS TO THRSE AND OTHERS SOCIETIES HE SAID.
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MR HIGGINSON EXPLAINED THAT UNDER EXISTING PROCEDURES, UNITED KINGDOM APPROVAL. WAS GRANTED ONLY TO CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES WHICH HAD SET UP BRITISH COMMITTERS.
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