TNAG-0667-FCO40-816-Restrictions-on-issue-of-visas-to-nationals-of-Soviet-Bloc-c-1988 — Page 14

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FM HONG KONG 210510Z

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HKK.Jus/509/1

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**77

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TO PRIORITY HOLY SEE TELNO MISC 141 OF 21 NOVEMBER 1977 INFO ROUTINE WARSAW, M V D.

FROM DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION.

See m

HK YOUR TELNO-1 OF 15 NOVEMBER (COPIED TO FCO BY HONG KONG)

38

VISA APPLICATIONS BY POLISH CLERGY.

1. THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN EXCHANGE OF TELEGRAMS WITH LONDON (FCO TEL VISA 662 OF 8 NOVEMBER TO HONG KONG AND WARSAW AND MY TEL VISA 214 OF 12 NOVEMBER TO FCO AND WARSAW).

2. WE REMAIN OPPOSED TO ANY REPRESENTATION OF SOVIET BLOC GROUPS AT MEETINGS IN HONG KONG AND WE WOULD PREFER THE BISHOP NOT TO ATTEND AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CLERGY IN POLAND, OR AS A POLISH NATIONAL. WE HAVE RECENTLY MAINTAINED THIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS A CONFERENCE BY THE BAPTIST CHURCH AND WE WOULD NOT WISH TO ALLOW A PRECEDENT IN THIS PRESENT CASE.

3. HOWEVER WE UNDERSTAND THE HOLY SEE DOES ISSUE SERVICE PASSPORTS REGARDLESS OF NATIONALITY TO PERSONS TRAVELLING ON BEHALF OF THE HOLY SEE OR ON BUSINESS OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS OR CONGREGATIONS. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THE BISHOP AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND IF HE IS ABLE TO OBTAIN A TRAVEL DOCUMENT ISSUED BY THE HOLY SEE WE COULD RECONSIDER HIS APPLICATION IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. ALTHOUGH THIS WOULD ALSO APPLY TO REV. FATHER LAUER WE WOULD PREFER SUCH FACILITIES TO BE RESTRICTED TO ONE PERSON.

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