TNAG-0358-FCO40-394-Registration-of-merchant-shipping-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 136

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CONFIDENTIAL

{

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London S.W.1

2 November 1972

J N Archer Esq

Marine Division

Department of Trade and Industry

Sunley House

90/93 High Holborn

LONDON WC1V 6LP

Dear Archen

LAST

R.

75

RLF.

76

REGISTRATION OF SHIPPING IN HONG KONG

Thank you for your letter enclosing the draft minute to the Prime Minister.

We appreciate the efforts you have made to help with Hong Kong's practical problems, and understand your arguments against going farther. I suspect however that the Hong Kong Government will not be very happy with your conclusions. I would have liked to send the Governor these views for his comments, but I realise that this would involve further delay and that you are keen to submit to the Prime Minister as soon as possible. In the circumstances, I would prefer to amend paragraph 9 by omitting the last two sentences and replacing them by the following:

"We propose now to go back to the Hong Kong

Administration and hope they will agree that these proposals offer the best solution overall. The FCO have reservations about some of the arguments advanced above, but agree that this should be the next stage.

11

I hope you will be able to agree.

у

ever,

Juan Walk ۵-۰

(Duncan Watson)

CONFIDENTIAL