TNAG-0611-FCO40-759-Presence-of-Warsaw-Pact-countries-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 49

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CONFIDENTIAL

(HKK 021/1)

CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 635 OF 12 AUGUST

INFO PEKING MOSCOW MODUK

FOR POLITICAL ADVISER

CLEARANCE FOR SOVIET RESEARCH VESSELS TO VISIT HONG KONG

1. THE ROYAL SOCIETY HAVE RECENTLY WRITTEN TO SAY THAT SOME OF

THEIR MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED LETTERS FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE

NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF SOVIET OCEANOGRAPHERS ASKING FOR AN EXPLANATION

OF THE HON KONG GOVERNMENT'S QUOTE FREQUENT REFUSALS UNQUOTE TO

FACILITATE CLEARANCE FOR SOVIET RESEARCH VESSELS TO ENTER HONG

KONG. IN REPLY, WE TOLD THE ROYAL SOCIETY THAT WHILE WE FULLY

UNDERSTOOD THE EMBARRASSMENT WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY YOUR

QUOTE OCCASIONAL REFUSAL UNQUOTE TO PERMIT SOVIET RESEARCH VESSELS

TO ENTER HONG KONG, THE FACT IS THAT THE POLITICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL

CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG ARE UNIQUE AND THAT, IN THE MATTER OF VISAS, HONG KONG HAS TO BE REGARDED AS A SPECIAL CASE.

WE ADDED AN ASSURANCE THAT ALL APPLICATIONS FOR VISAS, BY NATIONALS

OF WHATEVER COUNTRY, ARE CONSIDERED WITH GREAT CARE BY THE HONG

KONG, AUTHORITIES.

CONFIDENTIAL

12. THE