TNAG-2282-FCO40-3282-Hong-Kong-visa-policy-1991 — Page 86

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 345/1

29

113865

MDHOAN 8865

pa on fli

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELNO 161

OF 27160OZ FEBRUARY 91

AND TO PRIORITY IMMIGRATION HONG KONG

02314

PA

YOUR TELNOS 157 AND 182 AND HONG KONG'S TELNO 531: TRAVEL BY CZECHOSLOVAK DIPLOMATS

1. WE, LIKE THE HONG KONG IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, ARE SLIGHTLY UNEASY OVER THIS REQUEST FROM THE CZECHOSLOVAK COUNSELLOR. WE ASSUME THAT THERE IS NO REASON TO DISBELIEVE HIS CLAIM TO BE ACTING WITH THE AGREEMENT OF HIS AMBASSADOR. IF, HOWEVER, EITHER THE COUNSELLOR OR THE AMBASSADOR TOOK UP THEIR POSTS BEFORE DECEMBER 1989 (IE. BEFORE CZECHOSLOVAKIA'S REVOLUTION), WE WOULD NOT WISH TO AGREE TO DISCLOSURE WITHOUT FURTHER CONSIDERATION. IT WOULD, IN ANY CASE, BE HELPFUL TO HAVE DETAILS OF WHAT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN SMUGGLED AND ANSWERS TO THE OTHER POINTS IN HONG KONG'S TUR BEFORE AGREEING TO DISCLOSURE. HONG KONG'S POINT ABOUT REFUSING DISCLOSURE IF THE ACTIVITY IS NOT A CRIME IN HONG KONG IS RELEVANT.

2.

AS THE HONG KONG IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT SEE NO LEGAL OR PRACTICAL IMPEDIMENT, WE ARE INCLINED TO AGREE TO HELP, IF WE CAN BE SATISFIED THAT THERE IS NO REASON TO DOUBT THE MOTIVES OF THE CZECHOSLOVAK COUNSELLOR. YOU SHOULD MAKE CLEAR

TO HIM THAT THE INFORMATION WOULD BE SUPPLIED ON BEHALF OF THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES.

HURD

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DISTRIBUTION

34

ΜΑΙΝ

34

MINIMAL

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MVD

NNNN

FED

HKD