[3-draftsubdipmin]
PS/Mr Lennox-Boyd
PS/Mr Goodland
From:
Date:
CC:
D C B Beaumont 2 July 1993
Mr Figgis
Mr Fry, FED
Miss D Brookes,
Assistant Legal Adv
Mr Ricketts, HKD
DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS: UNPAID PARKING FINES
Problem
1.
What action should we take against the Chinese Embassy in respect of their unpaid parking fines?
Recommendation
2.
I recommend that we write to the Chinese in the same
terms as we write to the other leading offenders. FED and HKD disagree.
Background and Argument
A
3.
C
D
The figures for unpaid parking fines incurred by diplomatic Missions were published to Parliament on 10 May. Following publication, Mr Lennox-Boyd agreed that we should write to those Missions filling the top ten places, including China, warning them that we would seek the withdrawal of a
diplomatic member of their staff if fines were not paid within four weeks. At the same time, Mr Lennox-Boyd agreed that we should also write to those in the second group of ten, warnin
ing them that if they failed to pay off their outstanding fines and continued to offend we would have to take tough action. The letters are ready to issue.
E
4.
We informed the relevant posts on 28 June of the action
objected we planned to take. Only Peking have responded on the grounds of the Hong Kong factor and the threat of retaliatory action,
recommending aganist te
proposed
ye
action
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C