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Also, since IMO Associates Members are under the Rules of Procedure eligible to attend International Conferences dealing with the 1971 Fund Convention (from which the IOPC receives its authority), it seems not unreasonable to extend the same principle to attendance at IOPC meetings.
The Hong Kong Secretary for Constitutional Affairs considers that attendance by Hong Kong at the IOPC as an observer would not involve any international rights and obligations and that there would be no need to consult the Chinese (see attachment). Mans Jacobson, the Director of IOPC, has also been approached informally and he would be quite
be quite willing (indeed pleased) to propose to the next IOPC Assembly that Hong Kong be admitted as an observer.
As you are aware IOPC meetings are essentially practical and to a large extent run by the IOPC Secretariat. We believe it would be of practical benefit to Hong Kong to be present at the meetings and politically advantageous to be separate from the UK delegation.
Kingdom
If the United
has no objections to the proposal, Hong Kong will take the matter up formally through established channels and at the same time brief UK Rep JLG on the matter. Application would then be made to the IOPC Director by means of a low-key letter. It is considered that the Chinese delegation would be unlikely to object to what is essentially a nuts-and-bolts matter. They are used to Hong Kong's attendance at the IMO as an Associate Member.
After you have read this, please give me a ring and we can discusus the matter further.
DAH/SW Enc
Yours sincerely
Devichy
(D.A. Hall) Marine Adviser
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