PRIORITY
CR 250
CYPHER CAT A
FM FCO 1217357
(19)
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CONFIDENTIAL
(HKK 021/1)
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 635 OF 12 AUGUST
INFO PEKING MOSCOW MODUK
FOR POLITICAL ADVISER
CLEARANCE FOR SOVIET RESEARCH VESSELS TO VISIT HONG KONG
1. THE ROYAL SOCIETY HAVE RECENTLY WRITTEN TO SAY THAT SOME OF
THEIR MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED LETTERS FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF SOVIET OCEANOGRAPHERS ASKING FOR AN EXPLANATION
OF THE HON KONG GOVERNMENT'S QUOTE FREQUENT REFUSALS UNQUOTE TO
FACILITATE CLEARANCE FOR SOVIET RESEARCH VESSELS TO ENTER HONG
KONG. IN REPLY, WE TOLD THE ROYAL SOCIETY THAT WHILE WE FULLY
UNDERSTOOD THE EMBARRASSMENT WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY YOUR
QUOTE OCCASIONAL REFUSAL UNQUOTE TO PERMIT SOVIET RESEARCH VESSELS
TO ENTER HONG KONG, THE FACT IS THAT THE POLITICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL
CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG ARE UNIQUE AND THAT, IN THE MATTER OF VISAS, HONG KONG HAS TO BE REGARDED AS A SPECIAL CASE.
WE ADDED AN ASSURANCE THAT ALL APPLICATIONS FOR VISAS, BY NATIONALS
OF WHATEVER COUNTRY, ARE CONSIDERED WITH GREAT CARE BY THE HONG
KONG, AUTHORITIES.
CONFIDENTIAL
12. THE