TNAG-0611-FCO40-759-Presence-of-Warsaw-Pact-countries-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 59

USSR Academy of Sciences OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION

M Vavilov Street,

Block 2

Moscow B-333

Академия наук СССР

OKEAHOPPADIIIECKAN KOMICCHISE

Professor Henry Charnock,

Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, Wormley, Godalming, Surrey,

U.K.

Mocneu B-333

Улица Вавилова 41, корп.

17 JUN1977

D533/77

Dear Professor Charnock,

Oceanographers of the USSR Academy of Sciences acknowledge the great contribution you made into the successful development of international cooperation in occanography over the past year: and are appealing to you for assistance in removing some regret. ful obstacles in the way of further improvement of good spirit of international scientific cooperation.

The practice of our research work in the Western Pacific and adjoining parts of the Indian Ocean shows that British auth: ritics regularly refuse granting permissions to research vessel. of the USSR Academy of Sciences for calling Hong Kong (Victoria in spite of timely requests complying to the letter with all the requirements of the Foreign Office. Yet, the port in question is one of the most convenient for taking provisions and supplie. for all our research vessels which work in the Western Pacific or pass in transit to the Indian Ocean. This port is regularly used by Soviet merchant and fishing vessels seemingly without any difficulty, but not by the research vessels. To quote just a few examples:

1. In 1971, the R/V "Dmitry Mendeleev" obtained an agreemc from the established agent in Hong Kong to provide the requesto food supplies. However, the British authorities did not give th requested permission for the port call.

2. In autumn, 1972, the British authorities refused permi: ion to call Hong Kong to the same research vessel for the purp of repair work, notwithstanding the fact that the USSR Foreign Trade Agency "Sudoimport" had concluded a contract with the loc firm for this repair work in Hong Kong.

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