CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 290
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 038700Z
FM HONG KONG 0306012 APR 81
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 108 OF 3 APRIL
INFO PRIORITY FCO
FOR YOUDE.
20
YOUR TELNO 24: VISA OFFICE.
HICK 349h
KOLEIVES AN XEGISTRY NO. 51
0 8 APR 1901
DESKI INDEX
مثل
PA
80.4.
REGISTRY Action Taken
Aw 14/4
sex
YOUR SUGGESTION MIGHT BE POSSIBLE ALTHOUGH THE LAWYERS HAVE
DOUBTS WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE EXAMINED IN DETAIL. BUT IN ANY CASE,
I DO NOT LIKE IT BECAUSE:
(A) IT WOULD BE GIVING THE CHINESE A CONSULATE IN ALL BUT THE PRECISE NAME:
(B) THE NEXT STAGE WOULD BE ARGUMENT ABOUT INCLUDING THE OFFICE IN THE CONSULAR LIST, CONSULAR IDENTITY CARDS, CC PLATES ETC. WE WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO FALL BACK ON TO COUNTER SUCH SUGGESTIONS:
(C) WHETHER IT WAS THE CHINESE INTENTION OR NOT THE NET EFFECT OF SINGLING OUT THE VISA OFFICE FOR SPECIAL PRIVILEGES BY LEGISLATION
WOULD BE TO DOWNGRADE THE NCNA BY COMPARISON OR LEAD TO DEMANDS FOR SIMILAR PRIVILEGES FOR THEIR SENIOR OFFICIALS WHO ALSO HOLD
DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS.
2. OF COURSE IF WE DID WISH TO GRANT PRIVILEGES IN THE WAY YOU SUGGEST IT WOULD INVOLVE CONSULTING EXCO. FOR THE REASONS ABOVE I THINK THEY WOULD BE AGAINST IT.
3. I FEAR. IT WOULD NOT DO TO FLOAT THE IDEA TENTATIVELY. MY GUESS IS THE CHINESE WOULD JUMP AT IT AND WE WOULD THEN BE HOOKED.
4. ON REFLECTION I THINK WE COULD HOWEVER GO ALONG WITH THE ORIGINAL
PEKING SUGGESTION OF AN UNDERTAKING ABOUT ''NORMALLY** AGREEING TO THE PRESENCE OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE IF THE PREMISES HAVE
TO BE SEARCHED (PARA 4 OF PEKING TEL NO 231). THE LIKELIHOOD OF SEARCH IS SO REMOTE THAT WE COULD GIVE AWAY THIS POINT IF IT HELPS
TO REACH AGREEMENT. PLEASE THEREFORE DISREGARD PARA 2 OF MY TEL 373
TO THE FCO.
5. YOUR SUGGESTION WOULD BE THE WAY WE WOULD HANDLE ARRANGEMENTS FOR A CHINESE SPECIAL REPRESENTATION OR OTHER REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE NOT DESCRIBED AS A CONSULATE OR CONSULATE GENERAL. BUT THIS IS ONLY WORTH CONSIDERING AS PART OF A WIDER PACKAGE CONTAINING SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL TO OFFSET THE SHOCK TO CONFIDENCE AND SPECULATION THAT A CHANGE IN CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE ARRANGEMENTS WOULD PRODUCE.
MACLEHOSE
LIMITED
HK & GD
FED
P & CD
M & VD LEGAL ADVS. MR DONALD
[NOT ADVANCED]
CONFIDENTIAL
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