V100
DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY
The Adelphi John Adam Street London WC2N 6BQ Telegrams Civilair London Telex Telex No 22110/22119
Shipping Policy Divifelephone 01-836 1207 ext 217 3736
P Pendleton Esq.,
Marine & Transport Department, Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
Your reference
(21
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 69
23 OCT 1974
MRG21193/11. HKK 2x
Our reference FSR 2734
Data
21 October 1974
Dear Peter
RESTRICTIONS ON SOVIET CREWS IN HONG KONG
When you were out of your office one day last week I spoke to Donald Chambers about a conversation which the Head of this Division, John Steele had had with Mr. Averin of the Soviet Shipping Department. Mr. Averin is, as you may have seen from the copy of John Steele's note which I sent to Donald, concerned about the treatment of Soviet crews in Hong Kong. On Donald's advice I recommended John to tell Mr. Averin that HMG would be in touch with the Soviet Embassy as soon as enquiries had been completed. This he did, but we are keen to have, if at all possible, something a little more positive to say on the next occasion when they meet. On the face of it the Soviet complaints seem justified, though we are well aware that there could be more in the business than meets the eye. We know that the Anglo-Soviet Navigation Treaty does not apply to Hong Kong, but the Soviet point is, I think, that the treatment their crews are getting in Hong Kong is outside the spirit of the Treaty. You will know that we value the close relations which have been built up over the years between the shipping administrations of the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom. It would, we think, be a great pity if these were in any way jeopardised by avoidable
and I stress that word) difficulties in Hong Kong.
Your Su
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