TNAG-0611-FCO40-759-Presence-of-Warsaw-Pact-countries-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 50

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2. THE ROYAL SOCIETY HAVE NOW WRITTEN AGAIN TO SAY THEIR IMPRESSION-

IS THAT THE REFUSAL TO PERMIT SOVIET RESEARCH VESSELS TO ENTER HONG

KONG HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT POLICY AND ONE WHICH CAUSES MUCH EMBARRASSMENT TO BRITISH INTERESTS IN THE FIELD OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION. THEY HAVE THEREFORE QUERIED OUR REFERENCE TO THE QUOTE OCCASIONAL REFUSAL UNQUOTE OF PERMISSION TO SOVIET VESSELS AND ASKED IF WE CAN TELL THEM OF THOSE OCCASIONS ON WHICH SUCH VESSELS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO ENTER HONG KONG. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL THEREFORE IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW OF ANY INSTANCE WHEN SOVIET RESEARCH VESSELS HAVE BEEN LET INTO HONG KONG SO THAT APPROPRIATE, WE CAN PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

IF

3.COPIES OF THE EXCHANGE OF CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOLLOW BY BAG.

4. PLEASE ALSO SEE MIFT.

OWEN

FILES

HK & G D (5)

NTD

EESD

MVD

FED

PUSD

M & G D

PS/LORD GORONWY

CRD

ROBERTS

STD

MR MURRAY

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CONFIDENTIAL