TNAG-1429-FCO40-1912-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 19

PARTICULARLY FROM ASIAN STATES, HAVE ON OCCASION REQUESTED THE

ISSUE OF ORDINARY IDENTITY CARDS, HAVING FOUND BY EXPERIENCE THAT

THE CONSULAR CARDS MYSTIFY POLICE CONSTABLES CARRYING OUT ROUTINE

IDENTITY CARD CHECKS. THE CREATIONS OF A FURTHER CATEGORY OF

CARD WOULD IN ALL PROBABILITY LEAD TO FURTHER CONFUSION.

(BACKGROUND: THIS IS A DEBATE WE CAN DO WITHOUT, FOR OBVIOUS

POLITICAL REASONS).

(111) CARRYING A PASSPORT IS MUCH LESS LIKELY TO GIVE RISE TO

DIFFICULTIES WITH THE POLICE. PASSPORTS ARE ACCEPTED AS VALLD

PROOF OF IDENTITY IN HONG KONG, AND HAVE THE ADVANTAGE THAT THEY

REFLECT THE STATUS OF THE HOLDER. NCNA OFFICIALS CARRY THEIR

PASSPORTS AND HAVE NO DIFFICULTIES.

(B) (1) VEHICLE LICENCE PLATES. THE ISSUE OF A SPECIAL CLASS OF

LICENCE PLACES FOR THE FEW VEHICLES OWNED BY THE VISA OFFICE -

NONE ARE OWNED PRIVATELY BY VISA OFFICE STAFF - WOULD SIMILARLY

CAUSE MORE ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS THAN ARE JUSTIFIED. CC PLATES

HAVE NO LEGAL SIGNIFICANCE HERE NOR WOULD A SPECIAL PLATE FOR VISA

OFFICE CARS. SO THIS WOULD BE AN EMPTY OFFERING. THERE IS

NOTHING TO STOP THE VISA OFFICE ATTACHING THEIR OWN STICKERS TO

THEIR VEHICLES TO SAY WHO THEY ARE, BUT THIS WOULD HAVE NO LEGAL

MEANING.

=

(11) (BACKGROUND WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPECIAL

REGISTRATION LETTER SERIES. PROTOCOL DIVISION HAVE IN THE PAST

BEEN APPROACHED BY THE DOYEN ASKING THAT THIS BE CREATED FOR THE

CONSULAR CORPS. IF WE GRANTED IT TO THE VISA OFFICE, WE COULD NOT

WITHHOLD IF FROM THE CONSULAR CORPS. WE ARE AGAINST IT HOWEVER,

SINCE THE CORPS MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO IMAGINE THAT THEY WERE

ACQUIRING A GENERAL IMMUNITY IN THE USE OF THEIR CARS, WHICH THEY

DO NOT IN FACT ENJOY. THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HEADS OF POST ELSEWHERE

ARE ALREADY PRONE TO SUCH ILLUSIONS. THE VISA OFFICE ORDINANCE..

ALREADY GIVES THE VISA OFFICE STAFF MORE EXTENSIVE IMMUNITIES

THAT THE CONSULAR CORPS. IT IS SURPRISING THAT THE LATTER HAVE

NOT COMPLAINED).

(C) CONSULAR LIST. THERE HAS BEEN NO INDICATION THAT VISA OFFICE

OFFICIALS HAVE SO FAR FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH

CONSULAR OFFICIALS HERE, OR VICE VERSA. THERE ARE EXTENSIVE

CONTACTS. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC REQUIRING

VISAS WOULD WISH TO SPEAK TO NAMED OFFICIALS (INDEED WOULD THE

VISA OFFICE WELCOME THAT?).

(BACKGROUND: PICKING UP THE POINT IN HONG KONG TELNO 166 TO PEKING:

EVEN WERE WE TO LIST ONLY THE HOLDERS OF DIPLOMATIC AS OPPOSED TO

SERVICE PASSPORTS, THE VISA OFFICE WOULD STILL CONSTITUTE THE

*

Als tell

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ода)