TNAG-0934-FCO40-1153-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-Soviet-Union-1980 — Page 8

布政司署

香港下亞

畢道

***OUR REF.: SCR 3/4841/75

本署檔號

* YOUR REF.:

CONFIDENTIAL

R D' Clift Esq

Hong Kong & General Department

F CO

GOVERNMENT ECRETARIAT

HKK LOWER ALBERT ROAD

RECIVGO IN PL: NE

8 February, 1980

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

Action Taken

P.A.

fick.

lees

SOVIET USE OF HONG KONG

Mr. Quashell

Ente

R16/2

fr Williamson & des fivylime

You asked in your letter of 30 January for details

of Soviet activities in Hong Kong. you asked for are as follows.

For 1979 the details

15/2.

(A) Soviet vessels

% of total

Vessels entered

Cargo discharged 311201 tons Cargo loaded 243981 tons

Passengers embarked 591 ) Passengers landed 455 )

262

2.5

1.54

3.29

non Russians

(B)

Hong Kong Soviet trade (HK$M.)

Imports

158

Exports

42

Re-exports

6

0.2 0.08 0.03

(C) Visa applications

2.

Applications

Refused Withdrawn

Granted

13

6

1

6

Of the six visas granted, two were given to elderly Russian ladies coming here to visit sick relatives. The remainder were given to Marine Superintendents (and their wives) to supervise repair work being carried out on Soviet vessels at Hongkong United Dockyards.

3.

During 1979 a total of 11 Soviet vessels were repaired in Hong Kong. When such ships are here, both the

/contd..

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number and activities of the crew are circumscribed and carefully supervised.

4.

In addition, you will remember that in late November last year we refused permission for the Soviet hydrographic research vessel "Dimitri Laptev" to enter Hong Kong, This follows our normal practice for dealing with applications from Soviet research vessels to enter Hong Kong.

5.

There are no other Soviet activities here. We assume that they retain their interest in trying to make use of Hong Kong as a watching post on China and would also be happy to cause friction between ourselves and the Chinese. We keep a careful watch to ensure that this does not happen.

(D C Wilson)

сс

RJT McLaren Esq Far Eastern Department

D S Broucher Esq

East European & Soviet Department

A M Wood Esq

Moscow

DM March Esq OBE

British Trade Commission

Hong Kong

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2.

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Dr D C Wilson

Political Adviser

Government Secretariat HONG KONG

HKKCZ03

RELIVER

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SWLA 24H

No

4/2.

30 January 1980

SOVIET USE OF HONG KONG

1.

Partly in the light of Afghanistan, I would find it very useful to have your thoughts on the current level of Soviet interest in Hong Kong. I should emphasise that, so far as I know, there are no plans to involve Hong Kong in direct moves against the Soviet Union apart from the proposition on the Olympic Games in FCO telegram No 70. I am simply trying to get the position straight in case the subject is raised here.

2.

You have in the past kept us informed about the movement of Soviet vessels in and out of Hong Kong. Would you please let us have the latest figures (for the most convenient recent period) of vessels entering Hong Kong, cargo discharged and loaded and passengers or crew landed. I should also be grateful for the most recent figures on Hong Kong/Soviet trade.

3. It would also be useful to know what exceptions, if any, there have been in recent months to your policy of refusing visas to Soviet nationals. Any other information on the Russian use of facilities in the territory would also be welcome.

Сс

R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

DM March Esq OBE, British Trade Commission HONG KONG

A M Wood Esq MOSCOW

DS Broucher Esq EESD

R J T McLaren Esq FED

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