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See (1660)
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FM HONG KONG 218333Z AUG
TO PRIORITY PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 118 OF 1 AUGUST, 1979
161
HKK SR
N.
INFO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AND BELGRADE
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA: YUGOSLAV LOOPHOLE.
1. WHEN SULLIVAN WAS HERE RECENTLY HE MENTIONED THE PROBLEM
OF SOME CHINESE TRAVELLERS WHO HAVE REQUESTED H.K. VISAS, HAVING ALREADY OBTAINED VISAS FOR YUGOSLAVIA, WE AGREED THAT TRANSIT VISAS SHOULD ONLY BE ISSUED IF THERE WAS FIRM EVIDENCE OF THE INTENTION AND ABILITY TO TRAVEL TO YUGOSLAVIA.
2. BETWEEN 20 AND 28 JULY WE HAVE HAD 20 ARRIVALS AT LOWU
TRAVELLING ON NORMAL CHINESE PASSPORTS WITH VISAS FOR
YUGOSLAVIA. NONE HAD VISAS FOR H.K. ON QUESTIONING NONE
CLAIMED ANY RELATIVES IN YUGOSLAVIA, NOR HAD ANY INTENTION OF
COING THERE. UNLESS YOU SEE OBJECTION, GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD
ASK THE YUGOSLAV EMBASSY THE BASIS ON WHICH THESE VISAS HAVE
BEEN ISSUED, MAKING IT CLEAR THAT UNLESS THERE IS PROOF OF
INTENT TO GO TO YUGOSLAVIA SUCH TRAVELLERS WILL BE STRANDED
IN H.K.
3. YOU SHOULD ADD THAT EVIDENCE FROM SOME OF THE CASES HERE
SUGGESTS THAT YUGOSLAV PROCEDURES ARE BEING EXPLOITED BY CHINESE CITIZENS, WHO MAY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN AN EXIT PERMIT TO COME TO HONG KONG. IN AT LEAST ONE CASE WE
HAVE EVIDENCE THAT A FORGED U.S. VISA PROMISE LTTER MAY HAVE BEEN USED IN PERSUADING THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO ISSUE A PASSPORT (AND THE CHINESE EXIT CHOP ON THE PASSPORT GAVE THE U.S. AND NOT YUGOSLAVIA AS THE DESTINATION). SINCE THE CHINESE GENERALLY NOW REQUIRE PASSPORT HOLDERS TO HOLD ONWARD VISAS BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO LEAVE IT SEEMS THAT APPLICATION TO THE YUGOSLAVS WAS MADE SIMPLY BECAUSE A U.S. VISA WOULD HAVE BEEN UNOBTAINABLE.
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