NEEDED CERTAIN PRIVILEGES IN ORDER TO PERATE
EFFICIENTLY. HE REFERRED TO THE CASE IN 1982 WHEN AN OFFICIAL
DRIVER FROM THE VISA OFFICE HAD BEEN SUMMONED TO APPEAR BEFORE
A COURT FOR A DRIVING OFFENCE. ONLY AFTER LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS
HAD THE CASE BEEN RESOLVED. SUCH CASES SHOULD BE RESOLVED
THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS. HE SAID THAT PROBLEMS WITH TAXES
ON PREMISES AND COODS COULD BE SAID TO OCCUR EVERY DAY.
HE CLAIMED THAT THE SECURITY OF OFFICIALS AND THEIR DEPENDANTS
WEEDE TO BE RESOLVED TO ENABLE EFFICIENT OPERATION.
FINALLY, THE QUESTION OF LOST OR STOLEN PASSPORTS AROSE FREQUENTLY
AND IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR CHINESE CITIZENS TO LEAVE HONG KONG
WITHOUT A VLID TRAVEL DOCUMENT. TO ALLOW THE OFFICE TO
ISSUE REPLACEMENT DOCUMENTS WOULD BE CONVENIENT FOR BOTH THE
CHINESE AND THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES. GALSWORTHY AGREED TO REPORT
TO LONDON AND TO THE AUTHORITIES IN HONG KONG AND TO PROVIDE AN
ANSWER IN DUE COURSE. HE OBSERVED THAT TRAFFIC CASES
IN PEKING INVOLVING DIPLOMATS WERE ONLY SOLVED AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION, AND OFTEN PAYMENT
COMMENT
4. THIS SEEMS TO BE SIMPLY A REVERSION TO THE POINTS
WHICH WERE NOT AGREED LAST YEAR WHEN THE MEMORANDUM WAS SIGNED.
WE HAD THE CLEAR IMPRESSION THAT IT IS NOT
REPEAT NOT PROMPTED BY ANY SPECIFIC OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS
IN HONG KONG. NEVERHTLESS LIN STATED THAT IT WAS
HIGH TIME SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS WERE SOLVED AND PRESSED FOR
AN URGENT REPLY.
5. HONG KONG WILL WISH TO CONSIDER THE CHINESE REQQUESTS
BOTH IN THE LIGHT OF THE WAY THE VISA OFFICE IS OPERATING
IN PRACTICE AND OF THE GENERAL SITUATION. SEEN FROM HERE
THERE WOULD NOT BE MUCH DIFFICULTY FOR THE TIME
BEING IN TAKING THE LINE THAT TO ALTER THE FORMAL IMMUNITIES
OF THE OFFICE WOULD REQUIRE LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD ATTRACT
ATTENTION AND MIGHT BE MISUNDERSTOOD,
PARTICULARLY GIVEN PRESENT UNCERTAINTIES. NEVERTHLESS WE WOULD
BE HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS ANY CONCRETE PROBLEMS, SUCH
AS THAT OF THE DRIVER, WHICH WAS SOLVED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS,
AND THE TAXES QUESTION. SUCH DISCUSSION MIGHT TAKE PLACE LOCALLY,
AT LEAST INITIALLY.
6.
IN THE LONGER TERM, IF STEAM BUILDS UP ON THIS ISSUE,
THE CONSULAR DEPARTMENT NIGHT BECOME MORE DIFFICULT ON THE
QUESTION OF OUR OWN CONSULAR AGREEMENT. BUT WE HAVE NOT REACED
ANYTHING LIKE THAT POINT YET.
CRADOCK
MINIMAL
FED HKr GD
CONS D
2
CONFIDENTIAL
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