CONFIDENTIAL
FM SOFIA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 287
OF 231325Z APRIL 90
AND TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
нив 345 //
HKB
2 6 APR 1990
Y
R
10
024556
MDLIAN 5937
INFO ROUTINE BUDAPEST, WARSAW, BERLIN, PRAGUE, MOSCOW, BELGRADE INFO ROUTINE BUCHAREST
16
HONG KONG TELNO 1251 TO FCO: HONG KONG VISA POLICY: BULGARIA
1.
I AGREE WITH THE ASSESSMENT IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF TUR. IN BULGARIA IT IS TOO EARLY TO DROP OUR GUARD.
2.
FUTURE POLICY SHOULD BE DEPENDENT UPON THE DEGREE OF CHANGE HERE. IN THE MEANTIME PROPER SECURITY SCREENING SHOULD BE MAINTAINED. BUT WE WOULD QUERY WHETHER THIS MUST BE DONE IN LONDON. WE SUGGEST IT WOULD APPEAR MORE EFFICIENT FOR HONG KONG TO CARRY OUT SECURITY AS WELL AS IMMIGRATION CHECKS, USING WARNING LISTS AND OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED BY LONDON.
3.
ANY SHORTENING OF VISA PROCESSING TIME WOULD BE WELCOME. THE BULGARIAN BALKAN MENTALITY INTERPRETS DELAY AS DELIBERATE POLICY TO DISCOURAGE CONTACT. THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES OF POTENTIAL BUSINESS BEING LOST BECAUSE COMMERCIAL VISITORS HAVE LOST INTEREST DUE TO THE LENGTH OF TIME IT HAS TAKEN TO OBTAIN A VISA.
THOMAS
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
79
.HK AGREEMENT NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HKD
MVD
EED
HD/FED
HD /NTD
DISTRIBUTION
90
PUSD
PS
PAGE
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
1
CONFIDENTIAL