TNAG-1661-FCO40-2309-Hong-Kong-localisation-of-shipping-legislation-1987 — Page 171

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INFO PRIORITY PEKING

YOUR TELNO 4297 (1986):

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RECEIVED IN REGISTHY

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-7 JAN 1987

REGISTRY

Action Taken:

POST OF MARINE ADVISER

THANK YOU FOR TUR, WHICH RAISES SEVERAL ISSUES WHICH WE ARE CONSIDERING WITH DTP. LATTER ARE INFORMALLY SOUNDING OUT IMO SECRETARIAT, AS PROPOSED IN PARA 4 OF TUR. BUT IN VIEW OF TIMING SUGGESTED IN PARA 5 IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO MAKE TWO PRELIMINARY

POINTS:

(A)

(B)"

2.

WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO FOREWARN THE CHINESE OF WHAT IS PROPOSED. DESPITE THE GOOD RELATIONSHIP WE

HAVE ESTABLISHED WITH THEM ON HONG KONG SHIPPING REGISTRY MATTERS, THEY MAY REMAIN SUSPICIOUS OF OUR INTENTIONS IN REGARD TO HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATION IN INTERNATIONAL

ORGANISATIONS, INCLUDING IMO. WE SHALL NEED TO EXPLAIN

TO THEM CLEARLY WHY HONG KONG IS ONLY NOW APPOINTING A

PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO IMO.

WE SEE DIFFICULTIES WITH YOUR PROPOSAL THAT MR CHAN BE GRANTED DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES, GIVEN HIS PROPOSED POSITION AS A BRITISH NATIONAL IN THE UK WHO WOULD NOT (NOT) BE PART OF A FOREIGN EMBASSY.

EXAMINING THIS POINT IN MORE DETAIL.

BUT WE ARE

WE SHALL LET YOU HAVE OUR CONSIDERED VIEWS ON ALL THE

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