TNAG-0511-FCO40-576-Visits-of-ships-from-Soviet-Union-to-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 103

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CR 166

CYPHER CAT A

FM MOSCOW 161223Z

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IZGINYS ZI

LG ON REY

NI CERE

TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 54 OF 16/1/74,

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG.

HONG KONG TELEGRAM TO MOSCOW NO 1:

n, Goodfellow this is for

spas speak

17 JAN1974

HKK 21/+

↓

LAST

RESTRICTION ON CREWS ON SOVIET VESSELS UNDER REPAIR.

REF

R..

1. IF SOVIET MANNING RULES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM SP28( DT, WE COULD ONLY TRY TO OBTAIN INFORMATION BY MAKING AN OFFICIAL APPROACH DIRECT TO MINISTRY OF MERCHANT MARINE OR VIA MFA. IN EITHER CASE, WE EXPECT RUSSIANS WOULD TWIG. MOREOVER, WE WOULD RISK COURTING A SOVIET COMPLAINT TO HMG AND AN APPEAL TO ARTICLES 13 TO 15 OF THE 1968 MERCHANT NAVIGATION TREATY. PARTICULARLY IF, AS THE PREAMBLE IMPLIES, THE TREATY APPLIES TO HONG KONG, SHOULD WE NOT RE CHARY OF PROMPTING MORFLOT TO ELEVATE A QUOTE ADMINISTRATIVE UNQUOTE MATTER

TO ONE OF SUBSTANCE FOR THE AGENDA OF THE ANGLO-SOVIET MARITIME COMMISSION MEETING IN MOSCOW FROM 25 FEBRUARY?

2. OUR ADVICE IS THAT HONG KONG SHOULD PURSUE THIS LOCALLY AS A MATTER WITH FESCO, WHICH OSTENSIBLY IS ONLY A SHIPPING COMPANY FD NOT AN ARM OF THE SOVIET GOVERNMENT.

GARVEY,

FILES.

FED

LAKIOD

EESD

MTD

FUSD

NEWS D

MR WILFORD MR YOUDE

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