PARTICULARLY FROM ASIAN STATES, HAVE ON OCCASION REQUESTED THE
ISSUE OF ORDINARY IDENTITY CARDS, HAVING FOUND BY EXPERIENCE THAT
THE CONSULAR CARDS MYSTIFY POLICE CONSTABLES CARRYING OUT ROUTINE
IDENTITY CARD CHECKS. THE CREATIONS OF A FURTHER CATEGORY OF
CARD WOULD IN ALL PROBABILITY LEAD TO FURTHER CONFUSION.
(BACKGROUND: THIS IS A DEBATE WE CAN DO WITHOUT, FOR OBVIOUS
POLITICAL REASONS).
(111) CARRYING A PASSPORT IS MUCH LESS LIKELY TO GIVE RISE TO
DIFFICULTIES WITH THE POLICE. PASSPORTS ARE ACCEPTED AS VALLD
PROOF OF IDENTITY IN HONG KONG, AND HAVE THE ADVANTAGE THAT THEY
REFLECT THE STATUS OF THE HOLDER. NCNA OFFICIALS CARRY THEIR
PASSPORTS AND HAVE NO DIFFICULTIES.
(B) (1) VEHICLE LICENCE PLATES. THE ISSUE OF A SPECIAL CLASS OF
LICENCE PLACES FOR THE FEW VEHICLES OWNED BY THE VISA OFFICE -
NONE ARE OWNED PRIVATELY BY VISA OFFICE STAFF - WOULD SIMILARLY
CAUSE MORE ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS THAN ARE JUSTIFIED. CC PLATES
HAVE NO LEGAL SIGNIFICANCE HERE NOR WOULD A SPECIAL PLATE FOR VISA
OFFICE CARS. SO THIS WOULD BE AN EMPTY OFFERING. THERE IS
NOTHING TO STOP THE VISA OFFICE ATTACHING THEIR OWN STICKERS TO
THEIR VEHICLES TO SAY WHO THEY ARE, BUT THIS WOULD HAVE NO LEGAL
MEANING.
=
(11) (BACKGROUND WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPECIAL
REGISTRATION LETTER SERIES. PROTOCOL DIVISION HAVE IN THE PAST
BEEN APPROACHED BY THE DOYEN ASKING THAT THIS BE CREATED FOR THE
CONSULAR CORPS. IF WE GRANTED IT TO THE VISA OFFICE, WE COULD NOT
WITHHOLD IF FROM THE CONSULAR CORPS. WE ARE AGAINST IT HOWEVER,
SINCE THE CORPS MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO IMAGINE THAT THEY WERE
ACQUIRING A GENERAL IMMUNITY IN THE USE OF THEIR CARS, WHICH THEY
DO NOT IN FACT ENJOY. THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HEADS OF POST ELSEWHERE
ARE ALREADY PRONE TO SUCH ILLUSIONS. THE VISA OFFICE ORDINANCE..
ALREADY GIVES THE VISA OFFICE STAFF MORE EXTENSIVE IMMUNITIES
THAT THE CONSULAR CORPS. IT IS SURPRISING THAT THE LATTER HAVE
NOT COMPLAINED).
(C) CONSULAR LIST. THERE HAS BEEN NO INDICATION THAT VISA OFFICE
OFFICIALS HAVE SO FAR FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH
CONSULAR OFFICIALS HERE, OR VICE VERSA. THERE ARE EXTENSIVE
CONTACTS. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC REQUIRING
VISAS WOULD WISH TO SPEAK TO NAMED OFFICIALS (INDEED WOULD THE
VISA OFFICE WELCOME THAT?).
(BACKGROUND: PICKING UP THE POINT IN HONG KONG TELNO 166 TO PEKING:
EVEN WERE WE TO LIST ONLY THE HOLDERS OF DIPLOMATIC AS OPPOSED TO
SERVICE PASSPORTS, THE VISA OFFICE WOULD STILL CONSTITUTE THE
*
Als tell
1435
41472
ода)