TNAG-1205-FCO40-1507-Policy-on-visas-and-entry-certificates-in-Hong-Kong-1982 — Page 118

CON 345/1

RJT McLaren Esq Hong Kong

CONFIDENTIAL

M. Nesta M6. Publiques

BRITISH EMBASSY

JAKARTA

2 June 1982

HB

816 wp

cc HKG D

HKGD

Dear thelawn,

HANDLING OF HONG KONG VISA MATTERS

1. Michael Morgan asked for the comments of other ASEAN posts in his letter to you of 2 April putting forward the suggestion that Hong Kong visa work might be handled by staff seconded from Hong Kong.

2. We, like Kuala Lumpur, conclude that the status quo is the best solution. The position of the Chinese community in Indonesia is delicate and there are many undercurrents at work. It seems all too likely that pressures would be brought to bear by members of the local Chinese community on any Hong Kong citizen responsible for issuing visas here. He would be in a difficult position and this would not be good for the Embassy as a whole. Organisationally, we have an integrated Consular Section and I do not see a Hong Kong Chinese fitting into it all that easily. Were he to work from a separate office, political pressures would be all the greater.

3. We issued 14,554 Hong Kong visas last year, amounting to a total revenue of Rps 75,680,800 (about £65,000). The system works reasonably smoothly, though there are pressures during the holiday period. Anyone who complains about rejection of a visa is told to contact the Hong Kong Immigration Department directly if they wish. We do not regard odium for refusals as a serious problem. And such odium as there is would probably wash off on the Embassy whether the visa officer concerned was a Hong Kong citizen or not. So we prefer to remain as we

are.

сс

Mr HAJ Staples CMG Bangkok

Your ever,

Bro Brank

R Brash

Mr MH Morgan CMG Manila

Mr

SEAD

KFX Burns FCO

Mr W Bentley CMG Kuala Lumpur

Mr D A Macleod Singapore

Mr DW Partridge MVD

FCO

CONFIDENTIAL