CONFIDENTIAL
037400 MDHIAN 5390.
LIAISON SERVICES. THERE ARE THREE OPTIONS FOR A VISA POLICY RELAXATION :
(A) REMOVE RESTRICTIONS ON THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH A VISIT VISA MAY BE GRANTED BUT MAINTAIN CURRENT LEVELS OF SECURITY CHECKING:
(B) REMOVE RESTRICTIONS ON PURPOSE OF VISIT AND DISPENSE WITH OVERSEAS SECURITY CHECKS:
(C) ENTER INTO A VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENT.
5. WE ASSESS THE SECURITY THREAT POSED BY THE VIETNAMESE TO HONG KONG TO BE SMALL. WE WOULD NOT WISH TO GO AS FAR AS A VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENT, TO WHICH THE CHINESE WOULD NO DOUBT BE SENSITIVE. BUT, SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, WE PLAN TO REMOVE RESTRICTIONS ON THE PURPOSE OF VISITS AND TO DISPENSE WITH OVERSEAS SECURITY CHECKS. WE WOULD THEN ONLY CONDUCT LOCAL SECURITY CHECKS. VISAS WOULD NORMALLY BE ISSUED WITHIN 2 WEEKS. WITH 3 CATEGORIES OF APPLICANTS HOWEVER, THEIR APPLICATIONS WOULD BE DEEMED TO BE APPROVED, AND VISAS COULD BE ISSUED BY HANOI IF THERE WAS NO OBJECTION FROM HONG KONG WITHIN 5 DAYS. THESE 3 CATEGORIES WOULD BE SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS: GUESTS OF THE HONG KONG OR UK GOVERNMENTS: AND SPOUSES OF EXPATRIATES IN VIETNAM WHO ARE REQUIRED TO TRAVEL WITH THEIR HUSBANDS/WIVES. OTHER URGENT CASES, IF FLAGGED BY HANOI, WOULD ALSO BE DEALT WITH FLEXIBLY.
6. THE VIETNAMESE THEMSELVES ARE KEEN TO HAVE A VISA-ISSUING OFFICE IN HONG KONG. AT PRESENT, THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF SMALL TRADING COMPANIES HERE WHICH THEY DESCRIBE INAGGREGATE AS A QUOTE TRADING MISSION UNQUOTE. THESE COMPANIES ARE STAFFED BY VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS FROM THEIR TRADE MINISTRY, WHO ARE ROTATED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
7. WE WOULD NOT YET WANT TO ALLOW THE VIETNAMESE TO SET UP A FORMAL VISA OFFICE, NOR TO GRANT THE TRADING MISSION ANY CONSULAR PRIVILEGES (THAT COULD PUT THEM AHEAD OF SOME OF THE EAST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SUCH AS HUNGARY AND POLAND, WHICH MAY SOON SET UP TRADE OFFICES WITH VISA FUNCTIONS, BUT WITHOUT CONSULAR PRIVILEGES). BUT WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO GIVE A VISA-ISSUING FUNCTION WITHOUT CONSULAR PRIVILEGES TO THE EXISTING TRADING MISSION. THIS WOULD BENEFIT HONG KONG VISITORS TO VIETNAM, AND COULD BENEFIT HKG IN THAT WE COULD INSIST THAT SUCH AN OFFICE SHOULD ISSUE ENTRY AUTHORISATIONS TO RETURNING VBP VOLUNTEERS AND
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