HKK040/14 1980
41
TOP COR
GRS 400
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFH DENT HAL
FROM PKING 230938Z OCT 84
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2651 OF 23 OCTOBER
INFO PRIOR:ITY HONG KONG
HKK 040/53
ник
RECEIVEL ... REGISTRY
2 4 OCT 1984
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
RI
Action : ..01
JAK 24/7 GK 24/46
YOUR TELNO 1338: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: JOHNT LIAISON GROUP:
PRIVILIGES AND IMMUNITIES.
1. AT PRESENT ALL OFFICIALS ON TEMPORARY DUTY IN PEKING WHO ARE
MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE ENTER ON DIPLOMATIC VISAS AND
ARE REGISTERED AS TEMPORARY MEMBERS OF THE EMBASSY STAFF, ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT SEEK FULL ACCREDITATION FOR THEM AS HOLDERS OF DIPLOMATIC CORPS IDENTITY CARDS. EXAMPLES ARE THE TEAM OF TECHNICIANS CURRENTLY
WORKING ON OUR NEW EXTENSION AND MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUPS SET UP FOR THE HONG KONG NEGOTIATIONS. OFFICIALS WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE GENERALLY ENTER ON SERVICE VISAS. EXAMPLES
ARE THE HONG KONG MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUPS AND VISITING HOME
CIVIL SERVANTS.
2. WE ARE NOT CERTAIN WHAT IMMUNITY MS CONFERRED BY ENTRY ON A DIPLOMATIC VSA WITHOUT SUBSEQUENT REGISTRATION AS A TEMPORARY
MEMBER OF THE EMBASSY STAFF, ALTHOUGH THAT IS THE BASIS ON WHICH
DIPLOMATIC SERVICE SHORT STAY VISITORS TO THE POST COME HERE. ?75 WE BELIEVE THAT MIT WOULD PROBABLY PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FOR
ANCILLARY STAFF WORKING TEMPORARILY IN PEKING AS MEMBERS OF THE JOINT LIMAISON GROUP. WE CANNOT WITH ANY CONFIDENCE SAY THE SAME
ABOUT THE SERVICE VISA.
3. WE CONCLUDE THEREFORE THAT #SSUE OF DIPLOMATIC VISAS FOR ALL ANCILLARY STAFF ASSOCIATED WITH ANY JOINT LIAISON GROUP MEETING
*IN PEKING SHOULD BE AN ADEQUATE MINIMUM OBJECTIVE, SUBJECT TO
PARAGRAPH 4 BELOW. THIS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE THAT THE CHINESE WOULD
NOT BE WILLING TO GRANT SUCH VISAS TO HONG KONG OFFICIALS, WHICH
WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO MEET FULLY THE SECOND OF YOUR CONDITIONS
IN PARAGRAPH 4 OF YOUR TUR. BUT WE COULD NOT BE SURE WITHOUT
SEEKING CHINESE VIHEWS.
CONFIDENTIAL
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