RESTRICTED
43984
1
SHOWN SO LITTLE IMPROVEMENT SINCE 1984.
ALTHOUGH ALL THEIR FINES
ARE INCURRED BY OFFICIAL CARS, IT SEEMS PROBABLE THAT A FAIR
NUMBER WERE INCURRED ON PRIVATE BUSINESS.
3. THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM MAY BE A MISPLACED BELIEF BY THE
CHINESE THAT THE POLICY IS A WHIM OF OFFICIALS. WE ARE THEREFORE
CONSIDERING WHETHER MR RENTON OR A DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY SHOULD
SPEAK TO THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR SOON ABOUT PARKING. HE WOULD
DRAW ATTENTION TO PUBLIC CONCERN AT ILLEGAL PARKING BY DIPLOMATS GENERALLY, THE NON-DISCRIMINATORY NATURE OF THE POLICY, OUR INSISTENCE THAT ALL FINES INCLUDING THOSE INCURRED NEAR THE
EMBASSY SHOULD BE PAID, THE FAILURE OF THE EMBASSY TO IMPROVE ITS RECORD ADEQUATELY ETC. WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE GENUINE DIFFICULTIES WHICH THE CHINESE EMBASSY FACE, HE WOULD EMPHASISE THAT OTHER LARGE DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS FACE THE SAME DIFFICULTIES
AND HAVE MANAGED TO RESOLVE THEM, IN SOME CASES BY INCURRING CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE AND RADICALLY ALTERING THEIR TRANSPORT
ARRANGEMENTS.
4.
HE WOULD ALSO PUT IT TO THE AMBASSADOR THAT WE WOULD BE
PREPARED TO DISREGARD PAST UNPAID FINES INCURRED BY CAR 135 D 158
AND OTHER CARS, PROVIDED THAT THE AMBASSADOR GAVE US AN
UNDERTAKING THAT WITH EFFECT FROM A SPECIFIED DATE, NO FURTHER
UNPAID FINES WOULD BE INCURRED BY ANY CHINESE EMBASSY CAR. WE
CONSIDER THAT THE CHINESE WOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT MOTIVATION TO
MAKE SUCH A DEAL STICK. PROTOCOL DEPARTMENT WOULD THEN FOLLOW UP
ON THE NUTS AND BOLTS WITH THE AMBASSADOR OR HIS COUNCILLOR.
5. WE RECOGNISE THE DIFFICULTIES IN RAISING THIS BILATERAL
ISSUE SO SOON AFTER DIFFICULTIES OVER VISAS AND SHOPLIFTING AND
SO CLOSE TO SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH WU IN BERNE. BUT
THERE ARE STRONG PARLIAMENTARY AND OTHER REASONS FOR TACKLING
THIS PROBLEM. IT IS UNLIKELY TO GO AWAY WITHOUT FURTHER
APPROACHES TO THE CHINESE. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS AND FOR YOUR
ASSESSMENT OF LIKELY CHINESE REACTION TO AN APPROACH AS PROPOSED.
IS THE ASSESSMENT IN YOUR TELNO 1101 OF 1986 STILL VALID?
HOWE
OCMAIAN 3134
LIMITED
(
PROTOCOL
FED
Υπο
fs
:PS\MR RENTON
Psl me GGGAR
CHIEF CHERIT MR GILLMORE
Recicled