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Becketts,
Mr Ricketts, HKD
Telsul
brief tel
Is Me His exchange: perhaps
Confined with any view we need to give e fa
formce?
From:
CO Hum
Date:
31 March 1993
CC:
Mr Morris, FED
Pira ]: pl check castern Depti viewe
HONG KONG: RUSSIAN CONSULATE AND AEROFLOT FLIGHTS
1.
In yesterday's talks between Sir J Coles and Solovyev of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Hong Kong was covered over lunch. Mr Morris took a note and will be producing a record.
2.
I should clarify one point. In the course of the discussion Afanasiev referred to his talks in Hong Kong about the opening of a Russian Consulate-General. He emphasised that it would be small. He then raised the question of visa-free access to Hong Kong for Aeroflot crews and flight attendants. I recalled the paragraph at the end of the brief prepared for Mr Goodlad, and told him that we could agree to visa-free access. But my brief was not to hand (nor had I seen Hong Kong telno 476) and my reply was a general one. When we returned to the formal talks I gave Afanasiev the speaking note from Mr Goodlad's brief to ensure that our position was registered in all its details.
3.
On a related point, I hope we need not make too much heavy weather over the eventual size of the Russian Consulate-General (Hong Kong telno 508 refers). The Cold War has after all ended. I also doubt whether in practice the Russians will be able to afford to send many diplomats to Hong Kong.
have asked Eastern Dept for their Comments before sending tel Ę HK. t
a
HARD 406/5
Сборни
RE
CO Hum
05 APR 1993
IN
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