XN000022-1986-11-07 — Page 7

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1986

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+TO THIS END, WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN STEPS TO POST A SENIOR OFFICER TO LONDON TO ESTABLISH AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM OF LIAISON AND FEEDBACK.+

MR JACOBS OUTLINED THE CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS MADE SO FAR ON DISENGAGING THE HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTER FROM BRITAIN.

+ BY MAY 1985 WE HAD PUBLISHED A CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT SEEKING VIEWS ON THE WAY FORWARD TOWARDS ESTABLISHING AN AUTONOMOUS REGISTER.

+TAKING ACCOUNT OF COMMENTS MADE, AND AFTER SEVERAL SESSIONS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION AND WITH THE UNIONS, WE THEN SOUGHT AND RECEIVED THE BLESSING OF THE UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT ON THE PRINCIPLES UNDER WHICH THE NEW REGISTER SHOULD OPERATE,+ HE SAID.

+FINALLY, AT THE FOURTH MEETING OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP IN LONDON IN JULY THIS YEAR, THESE PRINCIPLES WERE AGREED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.+

THEY WERE PUBLISHED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST MONTH, HE NOTED.

MR JACOBS ALSO REITERATED THREE BASIC APPROACHES OF THE

NEW SHIPPING REGISTER:

* EXISTING STANDARDS (WHETHER OF SAFETY, CREW QUALIFICATIONS

OR ANYTHING ELSE) WILL BE MAINTAINED-

* VERY CLOSE LINKS WILL BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN HONG KONG AND SHIPS ON THE REGISTER - INDEED, THESE LINKS WILL BE FAR CLOSER THAN THOSE WHICH EXIST AT PRESENT- AND

* THE REGISTER WILL, HOPEFULLY, BE OF HELP TO ALL WORKING IN

OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY, WHETHER OWNERS, OFFICERS, CREW OR OTHERS.

ON EMPLOYMENT OF OFFICERS OR CREW ON BOARD HONG KONG REGISTERED SHIPS, ONE OF THE KEY PRINCIPLES OF THE NEW REGISTER, MR JACOBS QUESTIONED THE RELEVANCE OF A SHIPOWNER BEING LEGALLY OBLIGED TO EMPLOY A BRITISH, IRISH OR COMMONWEALTH OFFICER, A RULE ORIGINALLY DEVISED FOR DEFENCE PURPOSES.

+ WE HAVE THEREFORE DETERMINED, AND THE BRITISH AND CHINE SE GOVERNMENTS HAVE AGREED, THAT NO SPECIFIED NATIONALITY WILL BE REQUIRED FOR EITHER OFFICERS OR CREW ON SHIPS ON THE NEW REGISTER.+

/MR JACOBS