TNAG-1349-FCO40-1790-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 196

4. SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF MINISTERS, AGREEMENT HAS ALSO BEEN

REACHED ON THE TEXT OF THE UK/CHINA CONSULAR AGREEMENT. IT HAS BEEN

SUGGESTED TO THE CHINESE THAT IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE SECRETARY

OF STATE TO SIGN THE UK/CHINA CONSULAR AGREEMENT DURING HIS FORTH-

COMING VISIT TO PEKING. BECAUSE OF THE LINK WHICH THE CHINESE HAVE

ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE TWO ISSUES, THIS WOULD REQUIRE AGREEMENT

TO DE REACHED ON THE EXCHANGE OF NOTES ABOUT THE VISA OFFICE, WHICH

IN TURN WOULD REQUIRE THE EMBASSY TO NEGOTIATE SOME DETAILED

AMENDMENTS TO THE TEXT OF THE LATTER.

(A COPY OF THE LATEST CHINESE DRAFT, INCORPORATING THE AMENDMENTS WHICH THE EMBASSY ARE INSTRUCTED TO SECURE, IS AT ANNEX A).

AN INDICATION FROM HONG KONG THAT WE WILL NOT INSIST THAT PASSPORTS

ISSUED BY THE VISA OFFICE SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BY THEM DIRECT TO

IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT IS ALSO REQUIRED FOR FINAL AGREEMENT TO BE

REACHED. ON THIS SEE PARAGRAPHS 5 TO 7 BELOW.

REPLACEMENT PASSPORTS

5. IN DISCUSSION ON 16 AND 29 MARCH OF MEMORANDA XCC|(83)16 AND

XCC(83)19 MEMBERS CONSIDERED THE SEPARATE QUESTION OF ARRANGEMENTS

FOR MONITORING REPLACEMENT PASSPORTS WHICH THE VISA OFFICE ARE

TO DE ALLOWED TO ISSUE IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. MEMBERS ADVISED THAT

THE VISA OFFICE SHOULD NOTIFY TO IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT DETAILS OF

ALL PASSPORTS ISSUED WHEN THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS COME INTO FORCE. IN

PURSUIT OF THIS OBJECTIVE, A PROPOSAL WAS MADE BOTH TO THE MINISTRY

OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN PEKING AND TO THE VISA OFFICE BY THE

DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION TO SECURE A SUITABLE ARRANGEMENT. SINCE THE

VISA OFFICE IS TO BE RESTRICTED TO ISSUING REPLACEMENT PASSPORTS TO HOLDERS OF PRC PASSPORTS WHICH ARE LOST, STOLEN, FULL OR EXPIRED, ANY

REPLACEMENT PASSPORTS WOULD IN ANY CASE HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED TO

IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT FOR RENEWAL OF ENDORSEMENT, WITHOUT WHICH

THE HOLDER WOULD BE UNABLE TO LEAVE HONG KONG. IT WAS PROPOSED

THEREFORE THAT THE VISA OFFICE SHOULD ITSELF SUBMIT ALL SUCH PASS-

PORTS TO IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT FOR RENEWAL OF ENDORSEMENT BEFORE

ISSUING TO THE APPLICANTS. THIS WOULD HAVE ENABLED THE IMMIGRATION

DEPARTMENT TO KEEP A RECORD OF ALL REPLACEMENT PASSPORTS ISSUED

WHILE MINIMISING THE RISK THAT THE HOLDERS OF SUCH PASSPORTS WOULD

ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTIES ON DEPARTURE.

6. BOTH THE MFA IN PEKING AND THE VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG DECLINED

TO AGREE TO SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT? THEIR PRINCIPAL OBJECTION APPEARS

TO BE THAT NO SIMILAR REQUIREMENT IS IMPOSED ON ANY OTHER PASSPORT

ISSUING POST IN HONG KONG (WHICH IS TRUE). BOTH THE MFA AND THE

VISA OFFICE HAVE SAID THAT THE NEW PASSPORT HOLDERS WOULD BE ADVISED

TO APPLY IMMEDIATELY TO IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT FOR RENEWAL OF

ENDORSEMENT: IF THEY FAILED TO DO SO AND GOT INTO DIFFICULTIES AS

A RESULT THIS WOULD BE THEIR FAULT.

CONFIDENTIAL ---

17.AN