RP must wait to take over HK boats

RP must wait to take over HK boats

HONG KONG (AFP): The Philippines will have to wait until Hong Kong is handed over to China to receive three naval patrol boats being sold by the territory's military, a British forces spokesman said yesterday.

The three ships will only be available for sale after the handover to China on July 1, 1997 with 75 per cent of the sale revenue to be handed to the Hong Kong government which funded 75 per cent of the ships' costs.

The British Government will receive the remaining 25 per cent of the proceeds from the sale, the spokeman said in a statement.

The statment came a day after the British embassy in Manila announced the Philippines government had written to the British secretary of state for defense declaring its intention to acquire the three Royal Navy patrol craft.

The patrol craft from the Royal Navy Hong Kong Squadron include three Peacock class patrol craft: HMS Peacock, HMS Plover and HMS Starling.