4
See 5
GRS 360
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 080340Z MAR 83
TO PRIORITY F C O
TOP COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK349/1.
REGENVED IN NEIŠBOY NU
10 MAR 1983
TELEGRAM NUMBER 314 OF 8 MARCHINOOK
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
No
PEKING TELSNOS 10 AND 187 AND YOUR
1 MKK 34513
OFFICE IN HONG KONG
PA
See
See ©
R&R pl.
21/3
M.
Tich we lees? YES.
75"/3 CM 1113 $1 clear wit FED
GuillB
TELNO 125: CHINESE VISA +Sky reply
+KK 34512 (5)
1. SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION BY EXCO, WE CAN AGREE THAT THE VISA OFFICE SHOULD ISSUE REPLACEMENT TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO CHINESE CITIZENS WHOSE PASSPORTS ARE LOST, STOLEN, FULL OR EXPIRED. UNOFFICIALS WERE OPPOSED TO THIS IDEA WHEN IT WAS FIRST RAISED LATE IN 1981 BECAUSE AT THAT TIME THE VISA OFFICE HAD ONLY JUST BEEN ESTABLISHED AND THEY THOUGHT IT WRONG TO ALLOW A SIGNIFICANT VARIATION TO THE AGREEMENT SETTING UP THE VISA OFFICE SO SOON AFTER IT HAD BEEN SIGNED. THOUGH THIS OBJECTION NO LONGER APPLIES, EXCO MUST BE INFORMED OF WHAT IS PROPOSED BEFORE ANYTHING IS SAID TO THE CHINESE. WE PLAN TO DO THIS ON 15 MARCH.
2. WE HAVE GIVEN CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE RENEWED REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES. WE COULD ONLY GRANT THESE BY ENACTING SPECIAL LEGISLATION AND WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE BALANCE OF ADVANTAGE REMAINS AGAINST DOING SO. LEGISLATION CONFINED TO THE VISA OFFICE WOULD INEVITABLY GIVE RISE TO PROBLEMS WITH OTHER CHINESE ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG, NOTABLY THE NCNA. THERE MUST ALSO BE A RISK THAT THE ENACTMENT OF SUCH LEGISLATION WOULD BE MISINTERPRETED IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES. IN ANY CASE
WE ARE NOT (NOT) AWARE OF ANY DIFFICULTIES FOR THE WORK OF THE VISA OFFICE CAUSED BY THE ABSENCE OF THESE PRIVILEGES. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE VISA OFFICE, IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER'S OFFICE ARE CO-OPERATIVE AND CORDIAL.
3. SUBJECT TO YOUR AND PEKING'S VIEWS (AND TO EXCO'S APPROVAL 1 ABOVE) WE SUGGEST THAT THE EMBASSY MIGHT REPLY TO THE MFA ALONG THE FOLLOWING LINES:
If there is an guest of Special pinleges
a inmunities
Hhit of Burn
should be confutted. саб
PARA
(A) WE ACCEPT THE NEED FOR THE VISA OFFICE TO ISSUE REPLACEMENT
PASSPORTS TO CHINESE CITIZENS WHOSE PASSPORTS ARE LOST, STOLEN, FULL OR EXPIRED AND ARE CONTENT FOR THE VISA OFFICE TO BEGIN DOING SO IMMEDIATELY.
coforintos
913
CONFIDENTIAL
/ (B)
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