GR 300
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 069343Z MAY 81
HKK
345/4
RECEIVED BY MY NO. 51
7 MAY 1981
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 328 OF 6 MAY
DESK OLFACER
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
INDEX
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
NO
HONG KONG TELEGRAM 468 TO FCO: HONG KONG TRANSIT VISAS
PA
A
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).
>REGISTRY Action Taken
Fire 2115
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
LECTED
HKCD
7.00
FED Ад
15/2100
PS/ 7 BeAKER
ps/pas
via а хоседь EL DONALD
JADA75
Coft To
13
See 14
16
20
Mold,
Bu 2,
f9.5.
HONG KONG GOUT OFFICE
LONDON
Püss
8/5
CONFIDENTIAL
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