DD 13010OZ PEKING
GRS 362
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 130100Z
FM FCO 121730Z APR 84
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
12)
CONFIDENTIAL
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TELEGRAM NUMBER 382 OF 12 APRIL
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
HKK 34.5/4.
RECENT
YOUR TELNOS 717 AND 719: TRANSIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR PRC
HOLDERS.
1.
a
(10)
ORT
WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO ALTER FIRST PREAMBULAR PARAGRAPH AND LAST TWO PARAGRAPHS OF DRAFT TO BRING THEM INTO LINE WITH VISA OFFICE UNDERSTANDING. BUT WE AGREE THAT YOU SHOULD ACCEPT THE PARAGRAPHS AS DRAFTED IN YOUR TELNO 717 IF
NECESSARY.
2.
IN EITHER CASE, TERMINOLOGY SHOULD BE CONSISTENT: THE DRAFT IN YOUR TELNO 717 REFERS TO THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM IN CHINA' IN PARAGRAPH 1 AND 'THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN CHINA' IN THE
LAST PARA. WE WOULD PREFER THE LATTER TO BE USED IN BOTH INSTANCES IT IS ANYWAY THE TERM USED IN THE VISA OFFICE UNDERSTANDING.
3.
WE ALSO SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS TO TEXT IN YOUR TELNO 719:
(I) PARA 1, LINE 1: INSERT APOSTROPHE AFTER 'DAYS'.
(II) PARA 3, 2ND SENTENCE: INSERT 'CITIZENS' BETWEEN 'CHINESE' AND 'LIVING', TO MAKE TERMINOLOGY CONSISTENT WITH THAT USED IN THIRD SENTENCE, AND IN PARA 4 SEMI COLON AND CHOOSE BETWEEN 'LIVING' AND 'RESIDING' AND THEN USE THE SAME TERM IN EACH PLACE. (III) PENULTIMATE PARAGRAPH, 2ND SENTENCE: AMEND WORDS AFTER 'BRITISH EMBASSY' TO READ 'WHICH WILL COME INTO OPERATION ON THE DATE OF THE EXCHANGE OF NOTES'. THIS WORDING IS USED IN THE VISA OFFICE TEXT, AND IS APPROPRIATE TO THE NON-BINDING NATURE OF AN UNDERSTANDING.
4. WE REALISE THAT AT THIS LATE STAGE IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO HAVE THESE CHANGES MADE: WE APOLOGISE FOR BEING SO LATE IN SPOTTING THEM. IF THE CHINESE ARE UNWILLING TO ACCEPT THEM YOU HAVE DISCRETION TO EXCHANGE NOTES ON THE BASIS OF DRAFT IN YOUR
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