GR 300
CONFIDENT I AL
CONNDENTIAL
FM PEKING 060343Z MAY 81
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 328 OF 6 MAY
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
HONG KONG TELEGRAM 468 TO FCO: HONG KONG TRANSIT VISAS
1. WHILE WE ARE HAPPY TO SPEAK ON THE LINES OF PARA 2(1) AND (11) OF TUR, WE WOULD NOT THINK IT WISE AT THIS STAGE TO GO AS FAR AS THE ASSURANCE SUGGESTED IN PARA 2(111).
2. WE CANNOT DISCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CHINESE WILL OFFER
TO SOLVE ANY ACCOMMODATION DIFFICULTIES FOR US. WE SHOULD WANT TO
BE VERY SURE THAT IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE COULD OVERCOME THE
ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS. FOR INSTANCE COULD IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT
PRODUCE SUITABLE PERSONNEL?
3. IF YOU AGREE, WE WOULD PROPOSE EXPLAINING TO THE CHINESE AGAIN
THAT STAFF LIMITATIONS MAKE IT AT PRESENT IMPOSSIBLE TO ISSUE
VISAS HERE, AND DWELLING ON THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES, WHICH
WOULD MEAN CONSIDERABLE DELAYS IN ISSUING SUCH VISAS FROM PEKING.
WE WOULD EXPLAIN THAT OUR PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS ARE DESIGNED TO
PROVIDE THE SWIFTEST AND MOST CONVENIENT SERVICE: ALL ENQUIRIES
CAN BE DEALT WITH ON THE SPOT AT LO WU. IT MIGHT TAKE MONTHS
TO CONDUCT SIMILAR CHECKS FROM PEKING.
4. WE RECOGNISE HOWEVER THAT THIS DOES INVOLVE DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST CHINESE CITIZENS AND THAT OUR POSITION MAY NOT BE
TENABLE IN THE LONG RUN. I THEREFORE THINK THAT IN ORDER TO
FOREARM OURSELVES WE SHOULD START TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE PROBLEMS THAT WOULD ARISE IF IT BECAME NECESSARY TO REINFORCE OUR VISA SECTION FROM THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT SUFFICIENTLY
TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH TRANSIT VISAS FROM HERE. WE THINK THESE PROBLEMS FORMIDABLE: WE SHALL SEND OUR PRELIMINARY
VIEWS BY BAG.
CRADOCK
LAITED
HKG D
7.00
FED
P5
15/615 BITIRADLEY PS/7 BEAKER ps/pas
via - Хося з б
как домаса KADA75
Colt To
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
LONDON
CONMBENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.