GR 330
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING 190701Z JUN 81
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 446 OF 19 JUNE
INFC PRIORITY HONG KONG
(51
YOUR TELNO 318:
CHINESE VISA OFFICE
4171 34911
にに
*VTRY NO. 51
-22 JUN 1988
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
مل
PA
210
REGISTRY
Action Taken
FG02216
1. ACTING HEAD OF CHANCERY SAW LIN YONGPING, HEAD OF DIVISION, CONSULAR DEPARTMENT, MFA ON 19 JUNE. IN HANDING OVER OUR DRAFT MEMORANDUM (COPY FOLLOWS BY BAG), GALSWORTHY EXPLAINED THAT THE DIFFICULTIES DESCRIBED BY ATKINSON TO MRS XU HANBING ON 27 MARCH,
REMAINED. WE HAD DONE OUR BEST TO GIVE A POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THE CHINESE REQUESTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE DISCUSSIONS
WHICH TOOK PLACE DURING THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT. BUT
IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE UNDER EXISTING HONG KONG LAW TO MEET THESE
REQUESTS IN FULL. AS MRS XU HAD REMARKED TO HMA ON 5 JUNE,
THE VISA OFFICE WAS A NEW SORT OF ENTITY, FOR WHICH THERE WAS
NO PROVISION IN LAW. GALSWORTHY STRESSED THAT WE HAD DONE OUR
UTMOST TO ENSURE THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO PRACTICAL PROBLEMS FOR
THE OPERATION OF THE VISA OFFICE. AS THE MEMORANDUM MADE CLEAR,
EVEN WHERE THE LEGAL POSITION MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE FOR MAL
IMMUNITIES, THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES WOULD SEE THAT IN PRACTICE
THE IMMUNITIES LISTED IN THE MEMORANDUM WOULD NORMALLY BE ENJOYED.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE OFFICE OPERATING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
AND HOPED THAT THE CHINESE COULD ACCEPT OUR NEW DRAFT MEMORANDUM.
2. LIN SAID THAT CHINA ALSO HOPED THAT THE VISA OFFICE WOULD BE
OPENED SOON. THE MATTER HAD BEEN UNDER DISCUSSION FOR A LONG TIME.
THERE WAS SOME DIVERGENCE OF OPINION. THE CHINESE POSITION OF
PRINCIPLE WAS WELL KNOWN TO US. HE WOULD STUDY OUR MEMORANDUM
AND REPORT TO HIS SUPERIORS.
COMMENT
3. LIN DID NO REHEARSE THE HISTORY OF OUR NEGOTIATIONS, NOR DID
HE EXPAND ON THE CHINESE ''POSITION OF PRINCIPLE"'. TO THIS
DEGREE, THE INTERVIEW WAS RATHER DIFFERENT FROM OUR EARLIER MEETINGS WITH MRS XU. THIS MAY BE AN ENCOURAGING SIGN, BUT
EQUALLY LIN GAVE NO INDICATION THAT THE CHINESE POSITION HAD
CHANGED.
CRADOCK
LIMITED
HKOG D FED
THIS. TELEGRAM
WAS NOT
ADVANCED
See
MRDONALD
COMMEN
79
63
Page 90Page 91
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