TNAG-0804-FCO40-1009-Applications-for-visas-from-citizens-of-Eastern-European-cou-1978 — Page 9

人民入境事務處

香港德輔道中 四 瞻 國際大厦

樓次 FLOOR 19th

NW SECTION Documents

TEL: 5-456065Ext 126

電報掛號 TELEGRAMS:

専用電訊號碼 TELEX:

IMMIGRATION HONG KONG

75656

IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT,

INTERNATIONAL BUILDING.

141. DES VOEUX ROAD CENTRAL. HONG KONG.

25 October 1978

覆函請註明本處檔號 IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE THIS REF.: (3) in IMM/CR 2158/78

BY DIPLOMAT U БАС

Mr S R Martin

British Vice Consul

British Embassy

11 Kuang Hua Lu

Chien Kuo Men Wai

Peking

China

Dear Stevt

Mrs Bogustawa DROESE

Thank you for your letter dated 1 September 1978. It is quite true that

experienced some difficulties when she arrived at Lo Wu in 1977. She is the holder of a Polish passport and therefore requires a visa for Hong Kong, whatever the period or purpose of her visit, and at the time of her arrival she did not have a visa. In the circumstances however she was permitted to remain in Hong Kong for a short period. note that

has asked you to emphasize the fact that his wife's consulate passport is a document which is issued to Poles normally resident outside of Poland but nevertheless I regret that I am not able to authorize a visa for her.

Yours

Aut

P Sleightholme

for Director of Immigration

R E Parsons Esq CMG H M Ambassador BUDAPEST

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 345/2

18

15

See B

PA

116

3 Noven

1978

13

RELATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND HUNGARY

1. I must apologise for the delay in replying to your letter of 28 September about the difficulties encountered by Hungarian nationals wishing to go to Hong Kong. It arrived during my absence on a visit to Hong Kong and got put away by mistake. It has only now surfaced again.

2. The policy on Hong Kong visas for Soviet and East European nationals was last explained to posts in FCO Circular '0' 14/74 of 22 January 1974. I enclose a copy. Despite all that has happened since then the policy and the reasons given for it remain generally valid. The key sentence is perhaps the second one of paragraph 4, the reference to "the clear hostility of the Chinese Government to the establishment of a Soviet or East European foothold in the colony". Though much else may have changed, this has not. On the contrary, the Chinese have left us in no doubt that the restriction of Soviet and East European activities in Hong Kong - and by extension tight con- trol over visas remains an important objective in their eyes.

3. As explained in the circular the Hong Kong Government are nevertheless willing to grant visas in certain exceptional cases, for example when the prospective visitor is likely to bring useful business to Hong Kong, or is a genuine VIP. If you your- self attach special importance to a visa being granted in a particular case I suggest that you send a telegram explaining your reasons to Hong Kong at the same time as the visa applica- tion is forwarded. I know that the Hong Kong Government will do their best to be helpful, though they may not always be able to give you the answer you want.

сс

R JT McLaren

Hong Kong and General Department

Dr D C Wilson, Hong Kong Chanceries, Moscow Peking

CONFIDENTIAL