CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 345/
RECEIVED
TOP COPY 30 NOV 1999 IST?
DESK OFFICE
PA
TELNO 1636
OF 05170OZ SEPTEMBER 90
INDEX
INFO IMMEDIATE TOKYO
ก
161072
MDHOAN 6076
FROM HKD
YOUR TELNO 12754 HONG KONG/JAPAN MULTIPLE ENTRY VISAS
1. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE JAPANESE ARE STILL DRAGGING THEIR FEET OVER THIS ISSUE. THEIR INSISTENCE ON A VERY RESTRICTIVE DEFINITION OF BUSINESS VISITORS, WHICH WOULD EXCLUDE ALL BUT A SMALL PROPORTION OF HONG KONG COMPANIES, IS PARTICULARLY
DISAPPOINTING.
2.
AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, WE WONDER WHETHER THIS IS AN ISSUE WHICH THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHOULD BE BRIEFED TO RAISE WITH NAKAYAMA WHEN HE IS IN TOKYO ON 9-11 SEPTEMBER. THE SECRETARY OF STATE COULD DRAW ATTENTION TO THE NEGOTIATION OF A MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA AGREEMENT AS A SMALL BUT USEFUL STEP WHICH THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT COULD TAKE TO
DEMONSTRATE THEIR CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE, FOLLOWING NAKAYAMA'S PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT WHEN HE VISITED THE TERRITORY LAST NOVEMBER. THE SECRETARY OF STATE MIGHT ALSO POINT OUT THAT UNLESS THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ARE PREPARED TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE, THERE WOULD BE LITTLE PURPOSE IN HAVING AN AGREEMENT AT ALL AND ALMOST NO TIME TO IMPLEMENT IT BEFORE THE PROPOSED CUT-OFF DATE IN 1994.
IT OCCURS TO US THAT THE MFA MIGHT EVEN WELCOME SUCH AN APPROACH AS A WAY OF PUTTING PRESSURE OF THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE.
3=
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS AND THOSE OF TOKYO, IF POSSIBLE DESKBY 0609OOZ.
4.
HURD
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