TNAG-0640-FCO40-788-Visits-of-nuclear-powered-merchant-ships-to-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 108

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Mr Makepeace /Miss Darling

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Energy Dept.

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NAD

separate copies sent

Mr Pendleton

MTD

Mr Rawlinson WED

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VISITS BY NUCLEAR POWERED SHIPS TO HONG KONG

1. Attached is a copy of the Hong Kong Assistant Political Adviser's letter of 28 December to me, and its enclosure "Guidelines for Planning Visits of US Navy Ships to Hong Kong". You will see that Mr Drace-Francis seeks a revision of the NUSAFE regulations, so permitting a revision of the Guidelines, in order that the American Navy may better plan its visits by nuclear powered ships to Hong Kong.

2. This is primarily a matter for the Ministry of Defence but, before I approach them, I would like to co-ordinate any FCO views. If you possess the latter, I would be grateful for them, if possible by close of play, 14 January. FED will note, in para. 6 of Mr Drace-Francis letter, the suggestion that Peking perhaps be consulted. I would be grateful if FED could do this, if Mr Orr thinks it necessary. In the absence of department s views on 14 January, I shall assume that there are none.

3. My own reaction is not all that sympathetic. I suspect that the Americans have been pushing HMS Tamar more because American planning cannot, within the parameters established by the safe regulations, be as definitive as they would like, rather than because of any current or likely operational difficulties. HMS Tamar, perhaps because, as Mr Drace-Francis says, working relations with the Americans have been good recently, have over-reacted, and the result is Mr Drace-Francis letter. But this is suspicion only. I also note the last clause of para. 1 of the Guidelines, and Mr Drace-Francis' point (para. 4 of his letter) that the Americans have been cutting back on their Far East visits since the end of the Vietnam war.

5 January 1977

NAA

have

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comments

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T J David

Hong Kong Department