CONFIDENTIAL
133650
MDTTAN 6096
ANSWER IN LEGCO NEXT WEEK WHICH READS:
'IN THE LIGHT OF CLOSER RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM BY THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN NATIONS, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL WHETHER IT WILL CHANGE ITS POLICY ON ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM AND, IN PARTICULAR WHETHER IT WILL NOW ALLOW DIRECT COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND VIETNAM AND RELAX THE VISA ARRANGEMENTS FOR VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS VISITING HONG KONG, AND ALSO WHETHER IT WILL RECOMMEND TO HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT THAT IT PERMITS THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES TO ISSUE VISAS FOR VIETNAM IN HONG KONG THROUGH THE PERMANENT PRESENCE OF A CONSULAR OFFICIAL?'
17. WE PROPOSE TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DESCRIBE OUR NEW APPROACH. UNTIL WE HEAR FROM THE VIETNAMESE, OF COURSE, IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO SAY THAT ANYTHING HAS BEEN FINALISED. HOWEVER WE PLAN TO STATE OUR INTENTIONS ON ECONOMIC RELATIONS, DIRECT FLIGHTS, VISA ARRANGEMENTS, AND TO SAY THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING A VISA ISSUING FUNCTION FOR THE VIETNAMESE OFFICE HERE.
SIGNED S E BRADLEY
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INFO PRIORITY HANOI, PEKING, WASHINGTON, UKREP BRUSSELS INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA
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YRTELNO 41: HONG KONG'S RELATIONS WITH VIETNAM
1. IN A MEETING WITH LE THO AND DELEGATION ON 16 JANUARY, THE POLITICAL ADVISER OUTLINED OUR VIEWS ON PROMOTING COMMERCIAL RELATIONS: PROPOSED NEGOTIATING AN ARRANGEMENT TO ALLOW DIRECT AIR SERVICES: DESCRIBED OUR INTENTION TO RELAX OUR VISA REGIME: AND OFFERED TO PERMIT THE VIETNAMESE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN HONG KONG TO ISSUE VISA. HE LINKED ALL THESE TO IMPROVED CO- OPERATION ON VBPS.
2. LE THO REAFFIRMED VIETNAMESE POLICY ON CO-OPERATING TO SOLVE THE VBP PROBLEM AND WELCOMED THE POINTS MADE. HE WILL REPORT BEFORE GIVING A FORMAL RESPONSE. BUT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL HE AGREED WITH THE PROPOSALS MADE ON AIR SERVICES, AND EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR OUR DECISION TO ADJUST THE VISA REGIME AND TO ENCOURAGE TRADE. HE CONTINUED TO ARGUE THAT OFFICIALS FROM HANOI SHOULD COME TO HONG KONG TO CLEAR VOLUNTEERS. EHRMAN LINKED A
VISA-ISSUING FUNCTION FOR THE TRADE OFFICE TO ABANDONMENT OF THIS PRACTICE. LE THO ALSO PRESSED FOR CONSULAR RELATIONS.
3. A FULL REPORT FOLLOWS BY TELELETTER TO PAUL, HKD.
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MR MCLAREN