PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
GPS 700
FM HONG KONG 050915Z
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. § 1 - 6 JUL 1973
{1X X 21/2
(62)
por. Crockton,
pw.
SENELE
Mr. Goodfeltors (0.1.
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 724 OF 5 JULY. 1973
YOUR TELNO 611.
LAST
REF.
(GI)
HONG KONG REGISTER OF SHIPPING.
REF.
FOLLOWING FROM GOVERNOR FOR MINISTER OF AEROSPACE AND SHIPPING.
I AM MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE EFFORTS YOU ARE MAKING TO REACH AN
ACCEPTABLE AGREEMENT, MY OFFICIALS HAVE NOW HELD SEVERAL FURTHER
MEETINGS WITH HONG KONG SHIPOWNERS, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE RECEIPT OF YOUR TELEGRAM, AND I HAVE ALSO MET PERSONALLY WITH A NUMBER
OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES.
2. AT THE EARLIER MEETINGS THE SHIPOWNERS LARGELY CONFIRMED THE POSITION SET OUT IN MY TELNO 645, NAMELY THAT, UNLESS THEY WERE PERMITTED TO RETAIN THEIR PRESENT NON-BRITISH OFFICERS (INCLUDING MASTERS) AFTER MOVING THEIR SHIPS TO A HONG KONG REGISTER - AND TO RECRUIT MORE AS THEIR FLEETS EXPAND THE RESPONSE TO A NEW
REGISTRY WOULD BE VERY POOR INDEED, THEY EMPHASISED THAT THEY HAD
ALL TRIED TO RECRUIT MORE BRITISH MASTERS AND OTHER OFFICERS BUT THAT THIS HAD PROVED TO BE VERY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. THEY WERE THUS NOT PREPARED TO GIVE PRACTICAL SUPPORT TO A NEW REGISTRY UNDER CONDITIONS WHICH WOULD PUT THE COMMERCIAL OPERATION OF THEIR SHIPS AT RISK THROUGH A LACK OF QUALIFIED BRITISH OFFICERS, INCLUDING MASTERS.
3. ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY CONFIRMED THAT, IF ALL REPEAT ALL THE CONDITIONS SET OUT IN THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE'S MEMORANDUM SENT TO STANDEN ON 1 JUNE WERE MET, THERE WOULD BE WHAT THEY CALLED A QUOTE MASSIVE MOVEMENT UNQUOTE OF HONG KONG OWNED SHIPS TO A NEW REGISTER, EQUIVALENT TO THE 20 MILLION DEADWEIGHT TONS (OR ABOUT 250 SHIPS) BY THE END OF 1975 REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 4
OF MY TELNO 645.
CONFIDENTIAL
/ 4. AT EARLIER
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