XN000022-1985-11-27 — Page 26

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985

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SOLVE FLAG QUESTION AT EARLY OPPORTUNITY

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THE HONG KONG SHIPPING COMMUNITY BELIEVES THAT THE TECHNICAL, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEM INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF A NEW HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER CAN BE RESOLVED BUT IS CONCERNED WITH INTERNATIONAL REACTION TO THE FLAG QUESTION, DR THE HON HELMUT SOHMEN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE COMMUNITY HOPED THAT THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS WOULD ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AT AN EARLY OPPORTUNITY WHILE PROGRESS ON OTHER DETAILS OF ESTABLISHMENT CONTINUED WITH ALL DELIBERATE SPEED, HE ADDED.

DR SOHMEN WAS SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL POLICY DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IF THE CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG COULD ONLY BE FLOWN, THIS WOULD NEGATE THE EXPRESS PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WHILE A DISTINCT HONG KONG EMBLEM ALONE WOULD LIKELY NOT BE RECOGNISED BY OTHER NATIONS.

+THE PRACTICAL SOLUTION WILL LIE IN A DUAL FLAG, WITH BOTH THE CHINESE AND A NEW HONG KONG EMBLEM FLOWN TOGETHER, HE SAID.

+THE FREE ENTRY AND EXIT TO THE NEW REGISTER, AN ABSENCE OF REQUISITION POWERS. TOGETHER WITH SOME GUARANTIES AS TO THE TAX TREATMENT OF HONG KONG SHIPPING OPERATIONS OVER THE LONGER TERM WILL BE BASIC PREREQUISITES FOR ITS ATTRACTIVENESS TO INDIVIDUAL SHIPOWNERS,+ HE SAID.

DR SCHMEN NOTED THAT A SIMILAR QUESTION OF ACCEPTABILITY EY OTHER NATIONS AROSE IN CONNECTION WITH NATIONALITY AND PASSPORTS.

HE SAID HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT WITH SUFFICIENT INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL VIS-A-VIS HONG KONG AND ITS PEOPLE, ANY ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CHINA WOULD HAVE GOOD CHANCES OF BEING ACCEPTED BY MANY OTHER COUNTRIES ALTHOUGH STRONG LOBBYING EFFORTS WOULD BE UNAVOIDABLE.

NOTING THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD SHORTLY DEBATE THE WHITE PAPER ON THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986, HE SAID IT WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISING THAT THE DRAFT LEGISLATION SEEMED TO HAVE LEFT OPEN SO MANY QUERIES AND DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO CREATE ANXIETY AND WHICH SHOULD PERHAPS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL EXCHANGES PRIOR TO ITS PUBLICATION.

+ IT IS DIFFICULT TO ENVISAGE HOWEVER THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES WOULD AMEND OR MODIFY THE BASIC POINTS ALREADY AGREED AND EMBODIED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE MEMORANDA EXCHANGED.

/+IT IS