GPS 240
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FN HONG KONG 21110DZ APR 83
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 555 OF 21 APRIL 1983
PEKING TELNO 353: UK CHINA CONSULAR AGREEMENT
PA HUK 349/1
HKK 349/1 НЕК
RECEIVED I REGISTRY 2. APR 1983
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
AF 28/4
DESK OFFICER
INDEX 1. WE AGREE WITH THE LINE TAKEN BY THE EMBASSY ON THIS CHINESE MOVE. BUT IF YOU ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO CONCLUDING A CONSULAR AGREEMENT, AND IF THE VISA OFFICE POINT PROVES A MAJOR STUMBLING BLOCK I SHOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSULT EXCO ON WHETHER THEY WOULD RECONSIDER THEIR PRESENT POSITION ON THE GRANT OF PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE VISA OFFICE. IN DOING SO I WOULD NEED TO SATISFY THEM THAT THE CONCESSION WOULD BE MADE ENTIRELY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CONSULAR AGREEMENT: WOULD HAVE NO WIDER IMPLICATIONS: AND THAT IT WOULD BE APPLIED SOLELY TO THE VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG AND NOT TO ANY OTHER CHINESE GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS HERE.
2. IF IT WERE EVENTUALLY DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD OFFER THIS CON- CESSION IT SHOULD NOT BE TOO DIFFICULT TO FIND SOME MEANS OF RECORDING AGREEMENT OUTSIDE THE TEXT OF THE CONSULAR AGREEMENT E.G. IN A PROTOCOL OR A SEPARATE EXCHANGE OF NOTES. BUT WE SHOULD STILL NEED TO ENACT LEGISLATION HERE.
3. THE EARLIEST I COULD CONSULT EXCO WOULD BE ON TUESDAY 26 APRIL. IF IN THE LIGHT OF ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM SIR P CRADOCK YOU WISH ME TO ASK EXCO TO RECONSIDER THEIR ADVICE I WOULD NEED TO KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND IN ANY EVENT NOT LATER THAN OPENING OF BUSINESS ON 25 APRIL (HONG KONG TIME). IN THE MEANTIME NO (NO) INDICATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE CHINESE THAT WE MIGHT BE PREPARED TO MOVE.
YOUDE
LIMITED FED NTD CONS D
PC D
KG D
PS D
LEG ADV
PSIPUS
PS| LORD BELSTEAD
CHIEFCLERK
MRGIFFARD
MR DONALD
MR STREETON
LORN. GORDON LENNOX
CONFIDENTIAL
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See
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