CONFIDENTIAL
328
Cypher/Cat A
IMMEDIATE
Velno 158
PEKING ΤΟ FOREIGN OFFICE
3 March 1958.
CONFIDENTIAL
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 158 of 3 March, Repeated for information to Hong Kong.
Since we had four urgent requests for exit visas to make and since the Chinese have still not replied to our general proposals on visas which we made over 3 weeks ago, Cradock obtained an interview with Kao, Deputy Head of Consular Department on afternoon of 2 March.
2. Cradock began by explaining the urgent nature of three of the exit visa cases: those of Mrs. Tregilgas and Mrs. Peters (who wish to return to United Kingdom to look after their children's education) and Mr. Finch, D.W.S. operator, (who has long since completed his temporary duty here and has been ill for several months). He said we were glad to see in the fourth case Chinese had issued a visa to Mrs. Holroyd (who is pregnant) that morning. He went on to say that if the Chinese Government had a reply to our proposal of 7 February then there would be no need to deal with these cases individually.
3
"
In reply Kao said that the three exit visas requests would be considered in the usual way. On general questions of exit visas, he could give no formal reply nor could he indicate when a reply would be forthcoming. In the course of conversation he emphasised several times that there were two points on which our proposal fell short of the original Chinese proposal of 24 January. These were that although we said we were prepared" to lift our requirement for exit visas for the Chinese in London, we had not already done so; secondly, NCNA entry visas had not been included in the deal. In his personal opinion it was these two points which were causing the Chinese side difficulty. He repeated his assurance of 24 January, that if we accepted Chinese proposal the Chinese would certainly make corresponding gestures"
4.
Comments follow.
Foreign Office pass to Hong Kong 103.
Sir D. Hopson
[Repeated as requested]
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