[xsl] Saxon removes namespace in XHTML output

[M 1879 <m1879@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

I'm using Saxon-B 8.7.1 from the command line to output XHTML. In 
some tags, not others, the namespace gets reset to nothing with 
xmlns="". The <p> tag at the end of the XHTML below is an example. 
The part of the stylesheet that creates these elements is after the XHTML.

XHTML output:
------------------------
(XHTML namespace set up here on html element)
  <h1>Bgp Object</h1>
  <hr/>
  <p>
     <a href="object-index.htm">Back to Object Index</a>
  </p>
  <p>
     <b>Description: </b>
  </p>
  <p xmlns="">Defines the characteristics...</p>  <<<<----RESETS NAMESPACE
------------------------
stylesheet:

<p><b>Description: </b></p>
<xsl:apply-templates select="doctag_object/description" mode="multi-descr" />

<xsl:template match="description" mode="multi-descr">
    <p><xsl:apply-templates /></p>
</xsl:template>

Any idea what causes this? I confess that I am using a XSLT 1.0 
stylesheet that uses an XSLT 2.0 element: (it works).

Thanks,
Mark