GRS 230
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM PEKING 27080OZ APR 83
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 42 OF 27/4/83
REPEATED FOR INFO TO PRIORITY FCO
18
19
See
PA HAK 349/1.
HKK 34911
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
29 APS 1983
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
AF
YOUR TELNO 201 AND FCO TEL NO 254: CHINESE VISA OFFICE
IN HONG KONG.
1. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS FLEXIBILITY. SINCE IT WAS ALREADY CLEAR THAT EXCO'S CONDITION A HAD BEEN SATISFIED WE DEPLOYED THE PROPOSAL AT THIS MORNING'SSSESSION WITH THE CONSULAR DEPARTMENT MAKING CLEARLY AND EXPLICITLY THE CONDITIONS IN B AND C.
2. THIS HAD A VISIBLE EFFECT ON THE ATMOSPHERE, AND THE CHINESE RAP- IDLY, MADE A NUMBER OF CONCESSIONS ON THE DRAFT TEXT OF THE CONSULAR AGREEMENT WHICH THEY HAVE EVIDENTLY BEEN HOLDING UP
THE IR SLEEVE. THERE ARE NOW ONLY THREE POINTS OUTSTANDING ON THE LATTER, ON ALL OF WHICH WE AWAIT FRESH INSTRUCTIONS FROM LONDON.
3. WE AGREED THIS MORNING WITH THE CONSULAR DEPARTMENT
THAT WE WOULD SEEK FIRST TO CO PLETE DISCUSSIONS ON THE
DRAFT CONSULAR AGREEMENT SO AS TO ENABLE THE DELEGATION WHICH IS NOW HERE FOR THIS PURPOSE TO RETURN TO LONDON.
THEY ASKED THAT WE SHOULD START DISCUSSIONS ON THE VISA OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THEREAFTER, AND WE SHOULD LIKE TO DO SO SINCE THE CHINESE ARE LIKELY TO HOLD UP ANY PRACTICAL PROGRESS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CONSULATE IN SHANGHAI UNTIL THIS MATTER IS CLEARED UP.
4. WE WILL NOW STUDY AGAIN THE 1981 PAPERS ON THIS SUBJECT, AND WILL TELEGRAPH FURTHER, BUT WE ASSUME THAT SINCE WE ALREADY KNOW CHINESE WISHES A PROPOSAL WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM OUR
SIDE, AND THAT AN AGREEMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE INCORPORATED
IN AN EXCHANGE OF NOTES AS WAS DONE WHEN THE
VISA OFFICE ITSELF WAS SET UP.
CRADOCK
LIMITED
FED
NTD
CONS D
ред HK-GD
>
LEGAL ADVISERS
PS/ LORD BELSTEAD PS/PUS
MR GIFFARD
HR DONALD
THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED
CONFIDENTIAL