GRS 290
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 07112OZ MAY 81
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDEDNTIAL
TELEGRAM NUMBER 441 OF 7 MAY,
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
13.
TOP COPY
9327 2
HICK 34014
INDEX
ло
YOUR TELNO 468 AND PEKING TELNO 328: HONG KONG TRANSIT VISAS
1.
Every NO. 51
8 MAY 1921
ACER
PA
་
Action Tars.
$8.5. Pasillé
WE AGREE GENERALLY WITH YOUR PROPOSALS BUT SHARE PEKING'S
RESERVATIONS ON THE STAFF AND ACCOMMODATION QUESTION IN
PARAGRAPH 2(111) OF YOUR TUR. WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO PROVIDE
OR PAY FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF IN THE PRESENT FINANCIAL SITUATION.
WE WOULD NEED TO EXAMINE VERY CAREFULLY ANY PROPOSAL FOR THE
PROVISION OF STAFF SECONDED FROM HONG KONG. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
PEKING'S VIEWS ON THIS. ACCOUNT WOULD NEED TO BE TAKEN OF
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS AFFECTING HONG KONG RESIDENTS WORKING IN CHINA,
DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE QUESTION OF THE
CHINESE VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG. MEANWHILE WE AGREE THAT
PEKING SHOULD LIMIT THEMSELVES ON THIS POINT TO THE LINE IN
PARAGRAPH 3 OF THEIR TUR.
2.
BEFORE PEKING GO BACK TO THE MFA HOWEVER, WE SHOULD BE
GRATEFUL TO KNOW IN MORE DETAIL THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST USING THE
CHINA TRAVEL SERVICE IN HONG KONG. AS WE SEE IT, THE CTS ARE ALREADY TREATED DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHER TRAVEL AGENCIES. THEY ARE
USED, BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AMONG OTHERS, TO OBTAIN VISAS FOR VISITS TO CHINA. WE CAN SEE THAT THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM IF
THE NOTION TOOK ROOT THAT THE CTS WERE VALID SPONSORS OF
APPLICATIONS. BUT WOULD IT NOT BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE CLEAR FROM THE START THAT CTS WOULD ONLY BE TREATED AS SAFEHAND COURIERS, AND THAT NEITHER THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT NORE HMG COULD UNDER- TAKE TO DISCUSS THE REASONS FOR REFUSALS? IF THAT WERE ASSURED,. THE USE OF CTS COULD PROVIDE A WORKABLE SYSTEM TO ENABLE APPLI- CANTS TO OBTAIN VISAS IN ADVANCE AND SOME OF THE PRESSURE WOULD BE TAKEN OFF LO WU.
3. CLIFT WILL BE READY TO DISCUSS NEXT WEEK
(14)
Seelis
116
20
CARRINGTON
LIMITED
PS/MR RIDLEY
COPIES TO:
PS/MR BLAKER
HKGO LONDON
HKGD.
MVD
FED
PS/PUS
SIRE YOUDE
PPD
MR DONALD
PS
HR ADAMS
PS/LPS
CONFIDENTIAL
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