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would look into it urgently and hope to let him have guidance soon. On the issuing of passports I again said that this matter was rather difficult but that the German model was worth looking at.
4.
Both Tai and Sir W Bentley also mentioned that the piece of paper issued by VHU in Taipei could with great advantage be slimmed down to passport size. That too might then be stuck into the Taiwan passports. I have great sympathy with this proposition and I gather that you are already looking at this.
Action: FED MVD to agree next steps, subject to any further legal advice.
Work Permits
5. Tai said that his staff member Richard Fang was still awaiting a new work permit seven months after application. He had already been in this country four years and would normally therefore qualify for residence without need for a work permit (is this true?). I undertook to press the Department of Employment. In return I sought his assistance over the ATEC work permit problem. He wrung his hands about the new law which made it more difficult for the MFA to intervene but undertook to do his best. He had received letters from Mrs Zac and Chris Lowsley.
Action: Tai to continue his efforts; we to give support as necessary).
ATEC
6. I gave Tai a brief account of our problems with ATEC and the likelihood that the British Council would take it over if all went well. I mentioned that, ideally, they would want in due course to have a full Council programme including some
I
There would then certainly be work permit problems. hoped that his government would recognise that a British Council managed ELT scheme would be enormously beneficial and that they would be helpful. Lady Thatcher might well make some points on this during her visit. Tai was extremely positive about a possible Council ELT scheme and said that he was sure his people would be very supportive. I cautioned that this was some way down the track but it was as well to know some of our thinking. Tai said that the reason there were now 2000 students in UK was not solely because of ATEC but principally because of his government's decision to diversify student destinations away from the US towards
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