TNAG-2643-FCO40-3836-Immigration-to-Hong-Kong-from-China-policy-and-statistics-1992 — Page 33

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 15080OZ FCO

TELNO 2123

OF 150445Z AUGUST 92

AND TO DESKBY 150800Z MOSCOW

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

48

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127266

MDHIAN 5457

17/0

YOUR TELNO 1231 TO POLITICAL ADVISER: AEROFLOT INAUGURATION: VISA REFUSALS.

AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE INFORMATION ON WHICH WE BASE THESE VISA DECISIONS ALL COMES FROM LONDON.

IN THE LATTER TWO CASES

WE ARE AWAITING FURTHER DETAILS.

2. OF THE FOUR,

IS THE LEAST CLEAR. IF MOSCOW BELIEVED IT WOULD BE OF POLITICAL USE, WE WOULD BE WILLING TO TURN A BLIND EYE IN HIS CASE BECAUSE WE DO NOT AT THE MOMENT HAVE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO MAKE US CERTAIN. HOWEVER, WE FEEL WE MUST STAND BY THE OTHER THREE REFUSALS.

3=

WE ARE RELUCTANT TO THROW COMPLETELY OVERBOARD OUR VISA POLICY BY IGNORING THE INFORMATION WITH WHICH THE SECURITY SERVICE PROVIDES US. THERE MAY BE A CASE FOR CHANGING OUR WHOLE POLICY BUT WE DO NOT THINK WE SHOULD TAKE DECISIONS LIKE THIS ON

THE WING.

4.

WE ALSO SUSPECT THERE MUST BE AN ELEMENT OF BLUFF IN THE

RUSSIAN POSITION. IF THE INFORMATION WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN IS ACCURATE, THEY WILL KNOW VERY WELL WHY THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN REJECTED: PARTICULARLY IF MOSCOW HAVE SPOKEN TO THEM ON THE CONSULATE-GENERAL MAKING IT CLEAR THAT SPIES WILL NOT BE WELCOME

IN HONG KONG.

PATTEN

YYYY

THIS IS A COPY

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN

CLOSED UNDER

FOI EXEMPTION NO. 49.(.3.)

3411/26 HILD SETS TUM

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