TNAG-2487-FCO40-3618-Future-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1992 — Page 55

нис

HKC 000/1

UNCLASSIFIED

992

50

004507

MDLOAN 0096

UNCLASSIFIED

FM FCO

TO ROUTINE HONG KONG

TELNO 1545

OF 291236Z OCTOBER 92

AND TO ROUTINE GIBRALTAR, GRAND CAYMAN, HAMILTON INFO ROUTINE ANGUILLA, PLYMOUTH, STANLEY, GRAND TURK INFO ROUTINE TORTOLA, WASHINGTON, OTTAWA

pa.

NORTH ATLANTIC ICE PATROL (NAIP)

1.

THE NAIP AGREEMENT, TO WHICH THE UK IS A PARTY, PROVIDES FOR THE US TO GIVE THE VESSELS INFORMATION ABOUT ICE HAZARDS IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC. THE COSTS FOR THIS SERVICE ARE DIVIDED AMONGST STATES PARTY AND ARE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF CALLS MADE BY THEIR SHIPS TO US AND CANADIAN PORTS USING ROUTES SUBJECT TO ICE HAZARDS.

2. THE UK HAS EXTENDED THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT TO THOSE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES TO WHICH WE HAVE ALSO EXTENDED THE SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA CONVENTION 1974, (SOLAS 74). THESE ARE HONG KONG, GIBRALTAR, CAYMAN ISLANDS, BERMUDA AND THE ISLE OF MAN. THE UK HAS TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THESE TERRITORIES TO DATE. OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WITH SMALLER REGISTERS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENT.

3. LIBERIA HAS RECENTLY RENOUNCED THE AGREEMENT ON THE BASIS THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN SOPHISTICATED NAVIGATIONAL AIDS RENDERS NAIP'S SERVICES UNNECESSARY. THIS IS NOT A VIEW SHARED BY THE CHAMBER OF SHIPPING WHO HAVE CONCLUDED THAT IT IS STILL A VITAL SERVICE. THE DOT ARE PREPARED TO SUPPORT THEIR CONCLUSION. THE UK WILL, THEREFORE, CONTINUE TO REMAIN A PARTY TO THE AGREEMENT. BUT LIBERIA'S RENUNCIATION WILL INCREASE THE COSTS ON OTHER PARTY STATES. IN THE CASE OF THE UK THE INCREASE IS LIKELY TO BE IN THE REGION OF 50,000 DOLLARS. IN ORDER TO HELP ABSORB THE INCREASED COSTS (AND BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY BENEFICIARIES TO THIS AGREEMENT WHO DO NOT PAY FOR IT) THE US WILL BE INVITING SOME NON-CONTRIBUTING BENEFICIARIES TO BECOME PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT. BUT THIS IN ITSELF IS UNLIKELY TO COMPENSATE FOR LIBERIA'S DEPARTURE.

ALTHOUGH THE UK HAS TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES TO WHICH WE HAVE

4.

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