CO129-622-1 War damage compensation- U.S.S.R. claims 25-5-1948 - 22-1-1949 — Page 69

70

(N 9001/1485/38)

Confidential

Dear Haigh,

FOREIGN OFFICE,

1.

24th August, 1948

*)

Thank you for your letter RJ (c) 1189 of the 9th August about soviet steamships imferopol" and virstroi".

le have sent a note to the oviet massy as in the draft with which you conuered, minus the final clause .ogin: ing as it is not understood"; and we can, I think, on the uestion of the

n the

insurance, only awit furt er developmenur. other hand, it is evident that the Russians are showing some interest in selling these wrecks themselves. I take 1 that from your point of view there is no objection if they do, uny more than there is from ou. D ut I think whe colonial

Office would e grateful if your representative could o reminded that the local authorities have a large unlischarged båll for maintenance expenses which the Russians show no signs of paying, and of which he should, I thin, take any opportunity offered of bringing to the Russians' notice. In so far as frequent requests to the zussians for the ayment of these expenses have been consistently ignored, I feel the Hong Kong Government would be justified in disposing of the ships, if they are empowered to do so by the local legislation, before the Suvieans do. on the other hand, were the Russians to raise officially the

D. Haigh, ES.., 0.2.E.

Ministry of Transport.

/question