TNAG-1097-FCO40-1347-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 37

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GR 385

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING 230730Z SEP 81

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 581 OF 23 SEPTEMBER 1981.,

REPEATED AS ROUTINE INFO TO HONG KONG.

YOUR TELNO 439: CHINESE VISA OFFICE.

Mick 349/1

RALAVEO VA REVIVAY NO. 51 24 SERIORI

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

Шо

$18.

Pas 2819

1. HEAD OF CHANCERY COMPLETED THE EXCHANGE WITH NIE GONCHENG, DIRECTOR OF CONSULAR DEPARTMENT, ON 23 SEPTEMBER. SIGNED MEMORANDUM BY BAG.

COPIES OF

NIE AGREED

Buto во

2. ATKINSON MADE THE ORAL POINTS AS INSTRUCTED. TO ALL, INCLUDING THE POINT HE QUESTIONED ON 20 AUGUST (OUR TELNO 539 PARA 3). HOWEVER, HE PUT FORWARD AS HIS OWN PERSONAL THOUGHT THE HYPOTHETICAL, ''RARE' CASE OF A CHINESE PASSPORT HOLDER RESIDENT OVERSEAS STAYING HONG KONG FOR A FEW DAYS AND LOSING HIS PASSPORT. IT MIGHT BE CONVENIENT IF THE VISA OFFICE COULD ISSUE A PASSPORT IN SUCH EXCEPTIONAL CASES. ATKINSON SAID THAT SUCH DIFFICULTIES HAD PROBABLY OCCURRED IN

THE PAST AND SOLUTIONS BEEN FOUND. IF THEY OCCURRED IN THE FUTURE THE VISA OFFICE SHOULD CONSULT THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES, AS THEY SHOULD ABOUT ANY OTHER PRACTICAL PROBLEMS. BUT WE

SHOULD BE CLEAR ABOUT THE PRINCIPLE THAT THE VISA OFFICE

SHOULD NOT ISSUE PASSPORTS. NIE ACCEPTED THIS.

3.

AFTER THE MEMORANDUM HAD BEEN SIGNED, NIE ASKED WHETHER

THE VISA OFFICE COULD BE LISTED ON A SEPARTATE PAGE AT THE

END OF THE LIST OF COMMISSIONERS, CONSULAR OFFICES AND TRADE

COMMISSIONERS OR ON A SEPARATE SHEET, AS AN INSERT.

ATKINSON REPEATED WHAT HE HAD SAID ABOUT THIS JUST BEFORE THE

SIGNATURE AND PREVIOUSLY ON 20 AUGUST. OUR POSITION WAS

THAT IT SHOULD NOT APPEAR IN THAT LIST. NIE DID NOT PRESS

THE POINT FURTHER.

4. ATKINSON ASKED ABOUT THE TIMING OF THE OPENING OESTHE

OFFICE AND ANY PLANS FOR A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT (HONG KONG TELNO 838 TO YOU). NOTICE HAD BEEN GIVEN OF BOTH QUESTIONS ON AN EARLIER VISIT TO CONSULAR DEPARTMENT, ON 17 SEPTEMBER. NIE SAID THAT THE VISA OFFICE STAFF WOULD LEAVE FOR HONG KONG AS

SOON AS POSSIBLE. THEY WOULD HAVE SOME PREPARATIONS TO MAKE

BEFORE OPENING FOR BUSINESS. BUT HE WOULD NOT BE MORE SPECIFIC.

HE CLAIMED THAT NO THOUGHT HAD BEEN GIVEN TO A PUBLIC ANNOUNCE- MENT.

THE OFFICE STAFF COULD DISCUSS THIS IN HONG KONG.

NIE TOOK NOTE THAT NOTHING SHOULD BE SAID PUBLICLY ABOUT THE

AGREEMENT AT LEAST UNTIL AFTER 29 SEPTEMBER.

Mr Iriar OR

noted plas

24/7

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CRADOCK

TEO

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HONG KONG GOVT

OFFICE

NKQD FED

JI DONALD

COMIDENTIAL