CODE 18-77
Reference..
CONFIDENTIAL COVERING SECRET
يم
21
J Rankin, Legal Advisers, K 174
ENTRY CLEARANCE WORK: CONFIDENTIALITY
MR Motors (ai)
HK have yet contributed to this
(Chinese new you!)
but
I should not think, they would
hame any strong feekns.
1. I attach a copy of a telegram from Peking about a
request from the Czech Embassy in Peking to our Embassy forthes.
the release of information about travel to Hong Kong by members of the Czech Embassy. EED are inclined to be helpful.
2.
It is not out normal practice to give out details of visa applications. It is expressly forbidden by Diplomatic Service Procedure Volume 1 Part 1 2.2 which states "the information obtained by entry clearance officers in the course of their duties should on no account be disclosed to any unathorised person".
3. The two questions which seem to me to be of prime importance are whether we can over rule DSP should we wish to and whether the Czech Embassy can be said to be "authorised persons" given that the Embassy is the employer of the diplomats and it is presumably on the basis of their "employment" with the Embassy that they have obtained these passports. Or, simply, can we ourselves choose who can be "authorised" or "unauthorised"?
4.
-
We have not, as yet, heard Hong Kong's reaction to this request. There may be scope, if Hong Kong agree, for us to "authorise" Hong Kong (as a Crown Colony and thereby an extension of HMG) to receive this information (if they do not already have it) which they could if they so wished pass to the Czechs. This may seem a littl convoluted but would be one way of getting round the restrictions in DSP.
灿
19/2
CC:
F Wilson, EED
FED HKD
AS2AAL
پر
A Stephens
(MVD CL 420 270 4031)
CONFIDENTIAL COVERING SECRET
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.