CONFIDENTIAL
077464
MDLIAN 4547
TO BE SEEN TO BE ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY
/
FOR THESE
PRISONERS IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997 AND THAT THE HONG KONG
AUTHORITIES ARE VERY SHORT OF MONEY, HARD-PRESSED AND UNABLE
TO PROVIDE A CHINESE-SPEAKING OFFICER FOR PRISON VISITING
AND TO HELP IN VISA WORK, OR EVEN TO SPARE SOMEONE TO VISIT BANGKOK MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR.
5.
I REALISE THAT IT IS, FROM HONG KONG'S PERSPECTIVE, LARGELY A QUESTION OF PRIORITIES, BUT WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO, THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES CLEARLY FIND IT BOTH FINANCIALLY
/
POSSIBLE AND POLITICALLY APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR OFFICIALS TO
TRAVEL TO BANGKOK AND HANOI AT THE DROP OF A HAT AS WELL
AS TO NEGOTIATE ALMOST INDEPENDENTLY WITH GOVERNMENTS IN
THE REGION. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S RESONSIBILITIES
ON THE REFUGEE ISSUE SURELY GO MUCH WIDER THAN THEIR ROLE AS A COUNTRY OF RESETTLEMENT.
6.
WE MAY WELL HAVE A CHANCE OF MEETING VERY SHORTLY IN BANGKOK.
AS I EXPECT YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE DO ALL YOUR VISA AND CONSULAR WORK, WE COLLECT ALL THE VISA FEES WHICH GO BACK INTO THE CENTRAL POOL (NOT THE FCO) IN LONDON. WHEN WE MEET I CAN LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE ARE TAKING IN: AT THIS STAGE, I WOULD ONLY SAY THAT IT RUNS INTO SIX FIGURES IN TERMS OF POUNDS STERLING. IF THIS MONEY COULD BE USED TO FINANCE A POSTING
OR MORE FREQUENT VISITS FROM HONG KONG TO BANGKOK, IT OUGHT NOT TO COST THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES A PENNY AND WE MIGHT EVEN
SUGGEST WAYS IN WHICH YOU COULD MAKE A HEALTHY
PROFIT.
7. YOU SHOULD NOTE THAT THE PRIME MINISTER IS PAYING AN OFFICIAL
VISIT TO THAILAND 6-9 AUGUST AND WE HAVE HAD TO PREPARE DEFENSIVE
BRIEFING FOR HER ON THE QUESTION OF VISA DELAYS. COLVIN MAY PREFER TO STAY IN BANGKOK OVER THIS PERIOD, RATHER THAN GOING TO HONG KONG IMMEDIATELY ON RETURN FROM HANOI CHONG KONG TELNO 2795).
TONKIN
YYYY
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