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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 260530Z JAN 79
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 44 OF 6 JANUARY
INFO PRIORITY PEKING AND ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.
MY TELNO 6: THROUGH TRAIN SERVICE TO CANTON,
1.
AS ANTICIPATED, LI CHU-SHENG, SECOND DIRECTOR OF NONA, CALLED
ON THE POLITICAL ADVISER LAST NIGHT TO TALK ABOUT A THROUGH TRAIN
SERVICE. HE SAID THE CHINESE WOULD LIKE TO START THE SERVICE ON A TRIAL BASIS BEFORE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR (28 JANUARY).
:
2. LT HIMSELF SUGGESTED THAT USE OF THE TRAIN SHOULD BE RESTRICTED
TO CERTAIN CATEGORIES. FOLLOWING DISCUSSION, HE AGREED TO A
DEFINITION OF CATEGORIES WHICH MEANS THAT USE OF THE TRAIN WILL BE A
RESTRICTED TO THOSE HAVING VALID DOCUMENTATION AS SEEN BY US (1.E.
EXCLUDING THOSE TRAVELLING ON CHINESE EXIT PERMITS WITHOUT VISAS) LI ALSO PROPOSED, AND P A ACCEPTED, THAT ALL FORMALITIES SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT BY EACH SIDE AT THEIR RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE LINE.
HE ADDED THE THOUGHT THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT LATER WISH TO SUGGEST A
DIFFERENT SYSTEM FOR BAGGAGE CHECKING WHICH MIGHT INVOLVE HAVING
CHINESE OFFICIALS AT KOWLOON, HE DID NOT MENTION CUSTOMS AS SUCH,
3. P A COUNTERED BY SAYING THAT THIS COULD BE PUT ASIDE FOR
THE MOMENT: WE WOULD ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO HELP IN FINDING WAYS
FOR EFFECTIVE SECURITY CHECKS OF BAGGAGE SUCH AS EXISTED AT THE AIRPORT. P A ADDED THAT WE WOULD WANT AN AGREEMENT (WHICH WOULD OF COURSE BE RECIPROCAL) ON RETURNING THOSE WHO WERE UNACCEPTABLE. LI SAID HE SAW NO DIFFICULTY ABOUT THIS.
CONFIDENTIAL
14. HOWES
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