TNAG-1097-FCO40-1347-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 104

GR 350 SECRET

FM PEKING 03063AZ

TO PRIORITY F CO

TELNO 398 OF 3 JUNE 1981

HIK 3+4/1

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STRY 170. $1

5 JUN 1981

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA.

S.

ABOTRY Action Takeh

Mas 5lb

(39)

SECRET

RECEIVED

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG.

HONG KONG TELEGRAM 540:

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CHINESE VISA OFFICE

1. THE MATTER WAS NOT RAISED WHEN OWEN SPOKE TO THE MFA ABOUT TRANSIT VISAS, BUT, AS I REPORTED, SONG ZHIGUANG ASKED VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT IT WHEN I CALLED ON HIM ON 26 MAY.

2. I THINK THAT THETA IS SOME STEAM BEHIND THIS REQUEST ON THE CHINESE, OR AT LEAST THE CHINESE MFA, SIDE, AND THEREFORE A DANGER OF FRICTION IF WE DO NOT COMPLU. ON THE OTHER SIDE WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THE EFFECT ON FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS IN THE HONG KONG/CHINA CONTEXT OF GIVING WAY AT THIS STAGE WITHOUT A QUID PRO QUO. I WONDER THEREFORE IF WE SHOULD NOT FIRST MAKE A FURTHER ATTEMPT TO TAKE THE TEMPERATURE.

3. SUBJECT TO HONG KONG'S VIEWS I SUGGEST THAT WE MIGHT AGAIN APPROACH THE MFA HERE, AND SAY THAT WE HAVE CONSIDERED VERY CAREFULLY THE REQUESTS WHICH HUANG HUA REAFFIRMED IN HIS MEETING WITH YOU. WE HAVE EXAMINED THE LEGAL POSITION TO SEE WHETHER THERE IS ANY WAY IN WHICH WE COULD MEET THE CHINESE DEMANDS BY PURELY ADMINISTRATIVE MEANS. WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE. LEGISLATION IN OPEN SESSION WOULD BE NECESSARY. THOUGH WE THINK IT LIKELY THAT LEGISLATION COULD BE PASSED, THERE WOULD BE SO ME OPPOSITION TO IT AND CONSIDERABLE PUBLICITY WOULD RESULT. THIS WOULD GIVE RISE TO EXACTLY THE KIND OF SPECULATION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WHICH BOTH WE, AND WE THINK THE CHINESE, WOULD WISH TO AVOID AT THIS STAGE. WE ARE THEREFORE ASKING THE CHINESE TO RECONSIDER THEIR POSITION, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE ALREADY DONE EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO PRACTICAL PROBLEM FOR THE CHINESE VISA OFFICE TO OPERATE SECURELY IN HONG

KONG.

BUT 4. WE COULD PHRASE THIS APPROACH IN A PRETTY NEGATIVE FASHION, WOULD NOT CLOSE THE DOOR. IT IS JUST POSSIBLE THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT BACK DOWN, SINCE THEY PROBABLY HAVE NOT CONSIDERED THE PROBLEM OF

SECRET

/ EXTENSIVE

مها

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