TNAG-1349-FCO40-1790-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 16

GRS 200

RESTRICTED

FM FCO 121530Z DEC 84

TO PRIORITY PEKING

RESTRICTED

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1536 OF 12 DECEMBER

AND TO HONG KONG.

(78)

Ник 3491

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

13 DEC 1984

DESK OFFICER INDEX

Mus

PA

6013TRY

Action Talen

سلام

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ублки ра

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PEKING TELNOS 2801, 2802 AND 2-85: CONSULAR AGREEMENT AND VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG

1.

LEGAL PROCEDURES ON CONSULAR AGREEMENT WILL BE COMPLETED

IN UK ON 19 DECEMBER. WE WILL TELEGRAPH CONFIRMATION TO

PEKING AND HONG KONG ON 20 DECEMBER.

2.

SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION FROM HONG KONG THAT VISA OFFICE ORDINANCE HAS TAKEN EFFECT ON 24 DECEMBER PEKING SHOULD THEN

NOTIFY CHINESE OF COMPLETION OF LEGAL PROCEDURES. WE AGREE THAT POSSIBILITY OF CHINESE NOT (NOT) RATIFYING CONSULAR

AGREEMENT IS EXTREMELY REMOTE. BEFORE SENDING FORMAL

NOTIFICATION PEKING SHOULD HOWEVER SEEK AN ORAL COMMITMENT THAT CHINESE ARE READY TO GIVE THEIR NOTIFICATION, IMMEDIATELY ON

RECEIVING OURS.

3. SUBJECT TO LOCAL PRACTICE, NOTIFICATION SHOULD TAKE THE FORM OF A FIRST PERSON NOTE FROM THE AMBASSADOR TO MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS. REVISED DRAFT, WHICH ALSO CONTAINS SOME AMENDMENTS OF SUBSTANCE IS CONTAINED IN MIFT.

4. CONSULAR AGREEMENT WILL ENTER INTO FORCE AS SOON AS CHINESE HAVE NOTIFIED COMPLETION OF THEIR LEGAL PROCEDURES. GRATEFUL

FOR CONFIRMATION FROM PEKING WHEN THEY HAVE DONE SO.

Sea97

349/1.

HOWE

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

LIMITED

COPIES TO: MR WHOMERSLEY, LEGAL ADVISERS

FED

NTD

HKD

CONSULAR DEPT

PROTOCOL DEPT

1

RESTRICTED