TNAG-1097-FCO40-1347-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 108

GR 300

SECRET

FM HONG KONG 291946Z MAY 81

TO ROUTINE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 540 OF 29 MAY

INFO PEKING

SECRET

нек. 344

34911

RECENTO IN CRY . $1

TOP COPY-JUN 1981

134

CHINESE VISA OFFICE PEKING TELNO 368 TO YOU

(31)

DESK OFFICER INDEX

مر

PA

REJSTRY |Action Taken

aşib. pao utb

1. WILSON'S LETTER OF 4 MAY TO CLIFT WAS BASED ON ASSUMPTION THAT

FCO AND PEKING ADVICE WAS THAT WE MUST MOVE, BECAUSE THIS WAS

POLITIC AND BECAUSE MOVEMENT HAD BEEN IMPLIED DURING THE S OF S' VISIT.

2. TO RECAPITULATE: IF WE ARE TO MEET CHINESE WISHES ABOUT PRIVILEGES IT MUST BE BY LEGISLATION (PARA 7 OF WILSON'S LETTER),

AND AS AGREED WITH KE HUA THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE UNDERSTANDING IN WRITING ABOUT THE FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE (SEE DRAFT MEMORANDUM, WILSON'S PARA 8). THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE AGREED WITH THE M.F.A., AND WHILE I AM NOT CONVINCED IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO SHOW THEM THE DRAFT LEGISLATION, WE WOULD CERTAINLY NEED TO WARN THEM THAT LEGISLATION IN OPEN SESSION WOULD BE NECESSARY. CONCEIVABLY THIS

MIGHT INDUCE SECOND THOUGHTS.

3. HOWEVER THAT MIGHT BE, I WOULD HAVE TO CLEAR THE APPROACH IN PEKING WITH EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN ADVANCE. THIS WOULD NOT BE EASY AT THIS TIME BUT PROBABLY NOT IMPOSSIBLE, PROVIDED I CAN SAY THAT IT

IS THE STRONG ADVICE OF THE FCO AND OUR EMBASSY. BUT THE LATTER

DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE CASE.

19

HKK 345/4

4. NCNA HAVE NOT MENTIONED THE VISA OFFICE TO US SINCE THE $ OF S

OR THEY THEMSELVES VISITED PEKING. THE EMBASSY IS DUE TO SPEAK TO THE MFA ABOUT TRANSIT VISAS (YOUR TELNO 275). IF THE MFA FEEL AS STRONGLY ABOUT THIS AS WE SUPPOSED, PRESUMABLY THEY WILL RAISE IT AT THAT TIME. IN THIS CASE THE EMBASSY MAY FEEL WE SHOULD ACT AS IN PARA 5 OF TUR AND I WILL SOUND EXCO. IF THE SUBJECT IS NOT

MENTIONED PERHAPS THE EMBASSY AND YOU WOULD LET US HAVE FURTHER

ADVICE.

5. I WOULD PREFER NOT TO GIVE WAY ON THIS. BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT IS INVOLVED NOW CAN BE OVER STATED, AND I WOULD PREFER TO

CONCEDE THE LEGISLATION RATHER THAN SERIOUSLY ANTAGONISE THE MFA, PROVIDED THE MFA CONCEDE THE TERMS OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING DEFINING FUNCTIONS.

MACLEHOSE

LIMITED HK&GD

FED

SIR E YOUDE MR DONALD

THIS TELEGRAM

WAS NOT ADVANCED

37

See38

198

37

noted pas Bu Yuk/4/6

£16.

SECRET