TNAG-1429-FCO40-1912-Chinese-visa-office-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 33

GRS 190

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

TUP COPY

FROM PEKING 0809452 FEB 85

TU PRIORITY FOU

TELNO 169 OF 5/2/85

INFO PRIOROTY HONG KONG

HONG KONG TELNO 153: CHINESE VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG

1. IT IS CERTAINLY CLEAR FROM NEGOTIATION OF THE EXCHANGE OF NOTES ON THE CHINESE VISA OFFICE IN HONG KONG THAT THE CHINESE DID NOT CONSIDER THE VISA OFFICE TO BE A DIPLOMATIC OF CONSULAR MISSION OR VISA OFFICE STAFF TO BE DIPLOMATIC OR CONGULAR OFFICERS (PARAGRAPH 2 JF MY TELNOS 234 AND 686 UF 13 FEBRUARY AND 9 APRIL 1984). WE NOTE ALSU THAT PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE SPEAKING NOTE REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF HONG KONG TELNO 1465 EXPRESSLY STATED THAT THE HONG KONG VISA OFFICE ORDINANCE DID NOT CONFER CONSULAR STATUS ON THE VISA OFFICE. BOTH SIDES HAVE THUS MADE CLEAR THEIR VIEW THAT THE VISA OFFICE DOES NOT ENJOY CONSULAI

STATUS.

2. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE VISA OFFICE, WITH OR WITHOUT CENTRAL GUVERNMENT SANCTION ARE TRYING TO HAVE THEIR CAKE AND EAT IT. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE WOULD HAVE NO ODJECTION TO THIS MATTER BEING RAISED WITH THE MFA ON THE LINES SUGGESTED IN PARAGRAPH 5 OF TUR. WHEN DOING SO WE THINK WE SHOULD ALSO INFORM THE CHINESE OF OUR WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW, AS A PRACTICAL STEP, A LISTING IN THE HONG KONG CONSULAR LIST. HOWEVER, IF WE ARE TO CONCEDE THAT PRINCIPLE, WE WONDER IF WE SHOULD NOT SE PREPARED TO LIST ALL VIDA UFFICE STAFF WHO HOLD JIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS RATHER THAN JUST

THE DIRECTOR AND HIS DEPUTY?

EVANS

MINIMAL

HKD

FED

MVD

CONFIDENTIAL

L

HKCK 3491,

11 FLY 1225

لله

3