TNAG-0640-FCO40-788-Visits-of-nuclear-powered-merchant-ships-to-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 56

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SECRET

ENERGY DEPARTMENT, G87/1

Mr Makepeace

Mr Boardman

MOD, DS 16

VISIT OF THE "OTTO HAHN" TO HONG KONG

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11 MAY 1977

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HKK 175/2

1. I would be grateful for comments on the attached letter, dated 3 May, from the Assistant Political Adviser in Hong Kong.

2. It is apparent that the Hong Kong Government and HK&GD differ widely in their approaches to the proposal that the "Otto Hahn" visit Hong Kong. The departmental view is that the "Otto Hahn"'s visit to Hong Kong is an "external affairs" matter and that in consequence HMG should satisfy itself that proper arrangements are made by the Hong Kong Government. We have a duty to our Ministers to ensure that the safety measures that the Hong Kong Government envisage are well up to UK standards.

3. This said, it ought to be possible to reach agreement with Hong Kong on the safety measures that should be taken. With this in view, I would be grateful for urgent advice from the recipients of this minute on the following specific points in Mr Drace-Francis' letter:-

(a) whether or not there are objections of substance to the operational orders as they are at present cast (enclosed with Mr Drace-Francis' letter of 15 March);

(b) whether or not the MOD's consideration of a request from the Hong Kong Government to provide NUSA FE facilities would, in fact, be met with a favourable answer (see paragraph 3b of my letter of 21 April);

(c) the degree of further involvement that UK safety procedures would require of the DOT and UKAEA; and

(d) whether there are objections to the draft reply that Mr Drace-Francis proposes to send to the German Consulate-General in Hong Kong.

4.

I should also like to be clear that we do want, if at all possible, to arrange for the "Otto Hahn" to visit Hong Kong. The point is really one for WED, but it seems to me that we would cut a sorry figure in the eyes of the Germans if the latter were able to obtain clearance for the "Otto Hahn" to visit Hong Kong's "backward" neighbours (paragraph 5 of Mr Drace-Francis' letter), but not, because of the difficulties we have raised, Hong Kong itself.

I am therefore proceeding on the assumption that we should try to help Hong Kong meet the safety requirements that we consider necessary.

5. I think that we should now let the German Embæу have a reply to their letter of 23 November to Mr Makepeace. The second sentence of the draft enclosed with my letter of 21 April to Mr Drace-Francis

requires alteration and, subject to your views, might now read:-

I think that

mat).

"I understand that your own Consulate-General in Hong Kong have recently been in touch with the Hong Kong Government, and the next step is for the latter to give them a clear idea of the arrangements that we require. I shall ask the Hong Kong Government to do this as soon as possible."

(This would be on the assumption that we have no objection to the draft Note to the German Consulate-General 1 Hog Kong, enclosed /with

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