NEX
ALF.
Cypher
PRIORITY
CONFIDENTIAL
OUTWARD TELEGRAM
FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
TO HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
27
HWB 2/2
2240Z
Sent 7 June, 1967.
Craft Below.
CONFIDENTIAL
No. 1141
LART
Addressed to Governor Hong Kong
Repeated
11
Peking
17
" Washington
My telegram No. 873.-
N.S. "SAVANNAH".
Position is as follows in respect of points mentioned in my telegram:-
(1) No change.
(2) It has been agreed with U.S. Embassy here
that apart from advertising in trade journals for cargo, publicity will be kept to absolute minimum.
(3) Americans would prefer not to use same berthing
as for nuclear warships because of danger of identification with warships. They would like to emphasise fact that SAVANNAH is a merchant vessel and would prefer to use berthing normally allocated to American merchant vessels. Understand this may have been discussed locally and your views on this would be appreciated in light of safety considerations involved.
(4) Agreement between H.M.G. and U.S. Government
is expected to be signed early next week. This Agreement will extend to Hong Kong the provisions of 1964 Exchange of Notes, and make due provision for fact that the SAVANNAH is now operated by private operator and not directly by U.S. Government. Copies of relevant documents will be sent to you in due course.
(5) Arrangements for provision of monitoring team
are in train but before we can confirm that team will be available, we need to know precise dates of visit. We have been working on assumption that visit will begin on or about 27 June but understand that precise information about this and length of visit are available locally. Grateful if this may be telegraphed earliest. U.S. Embassy have agreed to meet cost of providing team.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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