TNAG-1349-FCO40-1790-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 144

notes over to

lli

HKK 349/1

ECENED IN REGISTRY

INDEX

16 MAY 1934

PA

J Ashton Esq

FED

FCO

RESTRICTED

乓

4. We

© Mur Hoave to be para 4.

have already sent a fel. to HK

arking to see then latest draft legislation for the stitis Acce

се British Embassy Peking

but no reply record. yet! one

Rea Denter 349/1.

Chinese mina otice.

with Exch of notes.

+ Capy on 345/4

Dear John.

27 April 1984

Thank

letter.

you

152

with orginals ce Miss Walker, HCD topiester

topienler av files Mr.Glover, NTD (without excs)

with exchange of mes tõe

nites on Transit

Arrangements.

H. proces as

pre.)

required by DSP, in consultation

with miss Walker, HKD.

EXCHANGES OF NOTES ON CONSULAR MATTERS

A 4/1

друг

Plgary to the Whornersty

Legel How

done

Rs.31/5.

1. You will have seen from our telno 751 that the two exchanges of notes on the immunities and privileges of the visa office and transit arrangements for PRC passport holders took place after a last minute flurry on 14 April. I am now enclosing the originals of the Chinese notes received and copies of our own replies. Since these notes constitute understandings rather than agreements I assume that the more elaborate procedure prescribed in Annex 2 of DSP Volume 66 is not necessary.

Originals of exchanges & be retained on HKD files. (NTD only Cape, or internati binding

keep

@greenments).

2. I hope that the last minute changes to the text of the exchange on transit arrangements have not caused anybody difficulties. The reason for the last minute flurry on this was that we had held up our agreement to the Chinese text in case we needed to use it as a quid pro quo in negotiating on the visa office, as very sensibly suggested by FED at an earlier stage. The result was that we did not have time to complete the necessary checking of the texts in good time before the proposed date of the exchange. Had we had a bit more time we could have avoided the last minute difficulties, but with the need to concentrate on other arrangements for the Secretary of State's visit and the Hong Kong talks I am afraid that the pace simply became too much.

3. I am also enclosing the agreed minute containing the sentence which was cut out of the draft on transit arrangements.

4.

It is important that the legislation in Hong Kong on the visa office is now brought into force as quickly as possible. If there were any undue delay there is a danger that the Chinese might drag their feet on providing premises for the consulate-general in Shanghai. I have had a word with Robin McLaren, who is here for the Hong Kong talks, about this: he

ز

RESTRICARD

/tells