CONFIDENTIAL
Mr Murray
HONG KONG: VISIT OF THE "OTTO HAHN"
PROBLEM
1. To what extent should HMG regard itself as responsible for the Hong Kong Government's present handling of the insurance and safety aspects connected with the proposed visit to Hong Kong of the Federal German nuclear-powered merchant ship, the "Otto Hahn"?
BACKGROUND
2. The "Otto Hahn" a nuclear-powered merchantman, is owned by GKSS, a company set up and 90% owned by the Federal Government specifically to operate nuclear ships. (The remaining 10% interest is owned by the German Länder.) The vessel visits the Netherlands frequently as part of its normal commercial activities. It also visited Southampton in October last year and a possible visit to the Clyde is at present under consideration. The Southampton visit followed protracted and complicated negotiations which were handled at the time by the DOT in consultation with the UKAEA, port and local authorities, GKSS, the DOE and the FCO. These were primarily concerned with questions of safety and liability in the event of a nuclear accident. If an accident occurred it could take the form of a radioactive discharge; there is said to be no possibility of a nuclear explosion.
3.
In November last year the Federal German Embassy in London requested permission for the "Otto Hahn" to call at Hong Kong during a visit to South East Asia and the Far East. It was concluded that there were no political objections to the visit and that in the interests of Anglo/German relations generally and of visits by Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarines to FRG ports in particular it should be allowed to go ahead. The Hong Kong Government agreed. At the same time, both we and the Hong Kong Government recognised that there could be technical difficulties in connection with the insurance and safety aspects arising from the "Otto Hahn's" proposed visit. In June this year, after lengthy correspondence with the Hong Kong Government, the Federal German Embassy were told that "subject to the ship's owners reaching satisfactory arrangements with the
/Hong Kong
CONFIDENTIAL
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Private notes are available after approval.