TNAG-1097-FCO40-1347-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 169

CONFIDENTIAL

GRS 305

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO 231800Z MAR 81

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 149 OF 23 MARCH

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

YOUR TELNO 260: VISA OFFICE

13

HOL

HKK

„204

349/1

RECEIVED 44 97 2URY NO. 51

25 MAR 1981

DESK OLSCER INDEX

PA

ماند

REGISTRY Action Taken

£25.3. pero 5/6

See (14)

8A

1. HEAD OF CHANCERY SHOULD SPEAK AGAIN TO MFA, ALONG THE LINES OF HONG KONG TELNO 309, MAKING FOLLOWING POINTS:

A) MRS XU'S STATEMENT ON AUGUST 1979 DISCUSSIONS NOT IN LINE WITH OUR RECORDS. ORAL AGREEMENT THAT A LIMITED NUMBER OF VISA OFFICE STAFF COULD USE DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS, BUT NO AGREE- MENT TO DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES.

B) THE VISA OFFICE WOULD NOT BE A CONSULATE AND CANNOT EXPECT SAME RANGE OF PRIVILEGES. SATISFIED HOWEVER THAT ARRANGEMENTS OFFERED ARE SUFFICIENT TO ENSURE SMOOTH RUNNING OF ITS OPERATIONS C) REGRET CAVEATS ON POINTS (D) TO (F) IN PARAGRAPHS 2-4 OF DRAFT MEMORANDUM HANDED BY HEAD OF HKGD TO COUNSELLOR OF CHINESE EMBASSY CANNOT BE SET ASIDE. ESSENTIAL THEY BE APPENDED OR COVERED IN SEPARATE EXCHANGE OF NOTES. CANNOT THEREFORE AGREE THAT ACTIONS IN HONG KONG COURTS AGAINST MEMBERS OF VISA OFFICE STAFF BY HONG KONG CITIZENS WOULD BE SETTLED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS.

D) SHOULD NOT ALLOW POINTS (G) AND (H) TO HOLD UP AGREEMENT. HONG KONG CANNOT ACCEPT THEM AS THEY WOULD REQUIRE LEGISLATION INAPPROPRIATE IN CASE OF A VISA OFFICE. BUT CAN ONLY BE OF SYMBOLIC VALUE TO CHINA, AS VISA OFFICE WILL NOT OWN ITS PREMISES (G), AND TAX BURDEN ON GOODS (H) IS INSIGNIFICANT.

-

E) CAN AGREE TO DELETION OF REFERENCE TO NCNA 5(C) OF UK MEMORANDUM SO LONG AS IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT NCNA CHANNEL WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED ON ALL MATTERS EXCEPTING VISAS.

F) MOST UNUSUAL FOR UK TO ACCEPT ISSUE OF VISAS BY OTHER THAN FULLY ACCREDITED DIPLOMATIC OR CONSULAR MISSION. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT CONCEDED FOR CHINA'S BENEFIT AND BECAUSE OF SPECIAL

1

CONFIDENTIAL