195
CONFIDENTIAL
GPS 400
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 110942Z DEC 81
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1116 OF 11 DECEMBER
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
99
YOURTELNO 910: CHINESE VISA OFFICE.
ник 34911
RICOIVA HA ADGI
DESK
INDEX
15 DEC 1981
蜈
1. POLITICAL ADVISER SAW THE DIRECTOR OF THE VISA OFFICE ON 11 DECEMBER AND SPOKE AS AGREED. SHAO TOOK THE FOLLOWING LINE IN
RESPONSE:
1817/12
(A) OUR AGREEMENT TO THE SUGGESTIONS HE HAD MADE (PARA 1 OF MYTELNO
1051) WOULD NOT BREACH THE PRINCIPLE THAT THE VISA OFFICE SHOULD
NOT ISSUE PASSPORTS. HE DREW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN ISSUING NEW
PASSPORTS AND REPLACING LOST OR STOLEN ONES.
(B) THE BRITISH SIDE HAD UNDERTAKEN IN THE AGREED MEMORANDUM TO
DISCUSS ANY PRACTICAL PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE FUNCTIOING OF THE VISA OFFICE. THIS WAS JUST SUCH A PRACTICAL PROBLEM.
(C) THE HEAD OF THE CONSULAR DEPARTMENT OF THE MFA HAD RAISED THIS
MATTER WITH THE EMBASSY AT THE TIME THE MEMORANDUM WAS SIGNED.
HE HAD BEEN TOLD THAT IT SHOULD BE PURSUED IN HONG KONG.
2. ZHAO SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN THREE RECENT CASES OF CHINA-BASED
OFFICIALS WHO HAD LOST THEIR PASSPORTS. AS THINGS STOOD AT PRESENT, APPLICATIONS FOR REPLACEMENT OR RENEWAL OF DIPLOMATIC AND
SERVICE PASSPORTS HAD TO BE SENT TO PEKING. THEY COULD NOT BE DEALT
WITH IN SHEUZHEU OR GUANGZHOU. THE PROCESSING OF SUCH APPLICATIONS
TOOK TWO WEEKS AND THIS CAUSED SERIOUS INCONVENIENCE TO THE
OFFICIALS CONCERNED. THEY WERE REQUIRED BY HONG KONG LAW TO CARRY
IDENTIFICATION AND USED THEIR PASSPORTS FOR THIS PURPOSE. THERE WAS NO SATISFACTORY ALTERNATIVE: FEW CHINA-BASED OFFICIALS HAD
HONG KONG DRIVING LICENCES. THE VISAS IN THE PASSPORTS ALSO
PROVIDED PROOF OF THE HOLDER'S RIGHT TO STAY IN HONG KONG. 3. POLITICAL ADVISER DISPUTED THE ARGUMENT AT (A) ABOVE AND SAID THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING OVER (C). ACCORDING TO OUR RECORDS, ATKINSON HAD NOT SAID THAT THE QUESTION OF ISSUING REPLACEMENT PASSPORTS SHOULD BE PURSUED IN HONG KONG. HE HAD MERELY SAID THAT THERE HAD NO DOUBT BEEN PROBLEMS OVER LOST PASSPORTS IN THE PAST AND SOLUTIONS HAD BEEN FOUND: AND THAT IF THEY OCCURRED IN FUTURE THE VISA OFFICE SHOULD CONSULT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES
WITH A VIEW TO FINDING SIMILAR SOLUTIONS.
4. ZHAO SHOWED RELUCTANCE TO REMIT THE ISSUE FOR DISCUSSION IN PEKING AND ASKED THAT HIS SUGGESTIONS BE RECONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT
OF THE EXPLANATIONS HE HAD OFFERED. POLITICAL ADVISER TOOK NOTE OF THESE EXPLANATIONS BUT REPEATED THAT THE MATTER SHOULD BE RAISED WITH THE EMBASSY IMPEKING IF THE MFA WISHED TO PURSUE IT FURTHER.
MACLEHOSE
LIMITED HK & GD FED M & VD
MR DONALD
MR ADAMS
[NOT ADVANCED]
CONFIDENTIAL
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