TNAG-0511-FCO40-576-Visits-of-ships-from-Soviet-Union-to-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 66

Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1

14

A E Donald Esq Political Adviser HONG KONG

Telephone 01-

Your reference

Our reference

Date

HKK 21/4

27 August 1974

Dear Alan,

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20 A001974

REPAIRS TO SOVIET VESSELS IN HONG KONG

1.

The Soviet Consul, Kudryavtsev, called on East European and Soviet Department on 20 August at his own request. lle delivered the following oral communication:

"For several years Soviet cargo and passenger ships have been repaired at the Hong Kong docks under the auspices of Sudoimport. Between 1970-72 thirty-one ships were repaired at a cost of

4

million roubles. In 1973 twenty ships were repaired to a value of 2 million roubles. In the first half of this year twelve ships have been rapaired costing 14 million roubles.

At the same time the Soviet side would like to draw the attention of the Foreign Office to the fact that the local Hong Kong immigration authorities, referring allegedly to instructions from London, make certain demands on the crews of Soviet ships in Hong Kong for repairs. These demands are of a clearly discriminatory character. On arrival photos of Soviet scamen are specially taken. Parties of only five persons are allowed to go ashore during the day. Sometimes during the stay of a ship inmigration officers come aboard late in the evening for roll call of the members of the crew. Recently matters reached such a pitch that the authorities have com to demand that the crews of passenger ships be cut by 50% and those of cargo ships by 25%. Irrespective of the port from which a ship has arrived and to where it is going after repair, those members of Soviet crews, who are considered to be in excess, are required to leave Hong Kong by the first Soviet vessel regardless of its port of destination.

Such discriminatory policy of the local authorities of Hong Kong is contrary to the established practice of Soviet-British relations in the field of navigation and is at variance with the provisions of the Soviet-British Merchant Navigation Treaty of 1968. This policy cannot but harm normal commercial relations which are being maintained by Soviet organisations with Hong Kong firms.

The Soviet Embassy expresses the hope that the British authorities will take speedy steps for the creation of normal generally established conditions for the stay of crews of Soviet ships which are under repair in Hong Kong."

EESD made no substantive comment beyond telling Kudryavtsev that,

/despite the

BU 25/10

CONFIDENTIAL

2579

BU 4 weeks

28/8

note