TNAG-0420-FCO40-466-Registration-of-merchant-shipping-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 122

CODE 18-77

MR LANE

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PS/MINISTER (A&S)

Reference

73

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PS/PUSS (A&S) Secretary (A&S)

Mr Hubback - Dep Sec Mr Brigstocke - SP Mr Manson - SG

Mr Standen MAR 1

Mr Madigan

MAR 4

FCO

Mr Andrew Stuart

HONG KONG REGISTER

You asked me on 16.7.73 for a draft telegram for the Minister to send to the Governor of Hong Kong reflecting his agreement that we should stand firm on our last set of proposals. I delayed replying to this until I had met officials from the Chamber of Shipping and Shipping Federation on 17 July and yesterday I was in Paris for the first meeting of the Anglo-French Safety of Navigation Group.

I now attach:-

(a) a draft telegram;

(b) a draft minute to the Prime Minister in case the Minister feels that he should consult No 10;

(c)

a note of the meeting on 17 July, the main point of which was the question of access to the Hong Kong register by UK shipping companies something on which we need to go carefully since this could undermine (partly through foreign shipping interests with UK offshoots) our policy of restricting the new conditions in the early years to current bona fide Hong Kong companies.

My general view is that we can carry both sides of industry with us on the new proposals probably with some concern expressed, but that any further weakening would cause much trouble both with them and internationally.

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JAN ARCHER MAR

19 July 1973

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