HKK Baq/1 BD See (1981)
over X1
see YI
over
163
HICK 349/1
(1981)
CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 500
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM PEKING 040820Z MAY 63
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 43 OF 4/5/83
тор
серу
REPEATED FOR INFO TO FCO
14\
CHINESE VISA OFFICE
MY TEL NO 42;
1.
R+R pl. together with
Хе
X+X. 2515
기동
HKCK 349/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
05 MAY 183
SK OFFICER
WE HAVE NOW STUDIED PREVIOUS PAPERS, AND IN PARTICULAR DAVID WILSON'S LETTER OF 4 MAY 1981 TO CLIFT, WHICH SET OUT
건강
THE OPTIONS ON LEGISLATION FOR THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF
THE CHINESE VISA OFFICE.
2. THE PREFERENCE EXPRESSED IN THAT LETTER WAS FOR
Arists
20
See (19)
copied to Miss V. Steele. NTD. 16/6
A SEPARATE SELF-CONTAINED BILL EXTRACTING FROM THE CONSULAR
PRIVILGES ORDNANCE THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES WHICH THE CHINESE
HAD REQUESTED. THERE IS HOWEVER NOW A DANGER IN THIS: IF WE
PREPARE SPECIAL LEGISLATION FOR THE VISA OFFICE THE CHINESE MAY SEEK TO INCORPORATE IN IT SOME OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE DRAFT
UK/CHINA CONSULAR AGREEMENT WHICH IN SOME RESPECTS GO WELL
BEYOND THE VIENNA CONVENTION ON CONSULAR RELATIONS. THIS WOULD
NO DOUBT BE AWKWARD VIS A VIS THE EXISTING CONSULATES IN HONG KONG.
IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE THINK THAT THE BEST APPROACH MIGHT BE THAT
CONTAINED IN PARA 6 OF LETTER UNDER REFERENCE WHICH ENVISAGES
A SHORT BILL SAYING THAT CERTAIN OR ALL SECTIONS OF THE CONSULAR
PRIVILEGES ORDNANCE MAY BE APPLIED TO THE VISA OFFICE. WE PRESUME
THAT NOW THAT THE VISA OFFICE IS FAMILIAR TO THE HONG KONG PUBLIC
THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST THAT COURSE WILL BE LESS STRONG.
3. THE CHINESE ARE BOUND TO WANT SOMETHING IN WRITING ON THIS.
WE SUGGEST THAT THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS WOULD BE TO
REVERT TO THE EARLIEST CHINESE REQUEST FOR PRIVILEGES AND IMM-
UNITIES FOR THE VISA OFFICE AND TO OFFER A DRAFT MEMORANDUM BASED
ON IT, IN EFFECT ENLARGING ON THE MEMORANDUM OF 23 SEPTEMBER 1981
UNDER WHICH THE VISA OFFICE WAS ESTABLISHED. THE EARLIEST CHINESE DRAFT MEMORANDUM WE CAN FIND IS THAT SENT BY THE CHINESE EMBASSY
IN LONDON TO THE FCO IN NOVEMBER 1980 (FCO TEL NO 1043 OF 1980
TO HONG KONG), THOUGH WE THINK THERE WERE SOME EARLIER COMMUNIC—
ATIONS ON THE SUBJECT. BASED ON THIS DOCUMENT WE HAVE HAD A SHOT
AT DRAFTING A MEMORANDUM OF THE TYPE ENVISAGED ABOVE. FULL TEXT
IN MIFT. NB DOUBT IT CAN BE IMPROVED AND THERE MAY INDEED
BE SPECIFIC OJBECTIONS TO THE LANGUAGE IN IT WHICH WERE NOT
RECORDED AT THE TIME.
CONFIDENTIAL
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