RESTRICTED
FM ATTC TAIPEI
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 83
OF 302223Z MARCH 93
RESTRICTED
HKC 020/5.
1993
38
126300
MDLIAN 4031
JOTPY
on Tak,
し
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, PEKING, TOKYO, SEOUL
B34
NOT ON FILE
-NOT ON FICO YRTELNOS 41 AND 43 AND HONG KONG TELNO 483: HANDLING PASSPORT APPLICATIONS IN TAIWAN
پاستان
1 I APOLOGISE FOR THE DELAY IN RESPONDING TO YOUR FIRST TUR BUT THERE WERE ONE OR TWO PRACTICAL POINTS WHICH I WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH HONG KONG AND WHICH I WAS ABLE TO DO DURING MY DUTY VISIT THERE LAST WEEK.( 29TH WAS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN TAIWAN.)
2. I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT HONG KONG ARE CONTENT TO CONTINUE ACTING AS THE DESIGNATED POST FOR PASSPORT APPLICATIONS ARISING IN TAIWAN (THIRD TUR). THIS IS WORKING WELL AND IS A SOURCE OF MUCH SATISFACTION AMONGST THE BRITISH COMMUNITY. I AM NOT PERSONALLY AWARE OF ANY SERIOUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LENGTH OF TIME RENEWAL TAKES. THE FACT THAT THE NEW PASSPORTS HAVE TO BE BROUGHT OVER HERE BY HAND DOES, OF COURSE, ADD TO THE DELAY, BUT THIS SHOULD IMPROVE ONCE THE NEW COURIER ARRANGEMENTS ARE IN PLACE (ABOUT WHICH I AM TELEGRAPHING SEPARATELY).
3. I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE CAN BE NO DISCRIMINATION AS BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PASSPORT AND IN ACCEPTING THE 'ALL OR NONE' RULING I REALISE THAT I AM ENTERING INTO SOMETHING OF AN OPEN-ENDED COMMITMENT. SINCE IT WOULD NOW BE VERY DAMAGING TO OUR RELATIONS WITH THE BRITISH COMMUNITY TO GO BACK ON THE PASSPORT HANDLING SERVICE, I AM CONTENT FOR US NOW TO ACCEPT ALL PASSPORT BUSINESS FOR ANY UK PASSPORT HOLDER RESIDING IN TAIWAN. WE SHALL, OF COURSE, MONITOR THE WORKLOAD VERY CLOSELY AND IF THE INCREASE BECOME UNBEARABLE AND CANNOT BE MET BY REORGANISING EXISTING STAFF, I MAY HAVE TO PLEAD FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. HOWEVER, I AM REASONABLY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN HANDLE THE EXTRA WORKLOAD, PERHAPS THE US OF TEMPORARY STAFF, AS AND WHEN NECESSARY.
MORRICE
YYYY
1
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