TNAG-2649-FCO40-3842-Hong-Kong-visa-policy-with-other-countries-1992 — Page 12

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Mformed Mr. Morgan that we have

الحرة

It been contacted

cc. for Hague Hong Kong Dept

надие

by

the Lebanese

135241/w MOTTAN 37869/3.

approached on the herandre Consul?

RMET NEMA

Marg

You may

have been

by

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Pre monitor

hr

773

4/2

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FM PEKING

TO TELELETTER HONG KONG

TELELETTER N FR

OF 030847Z MARCH 92

INFO TELELETTER FCO, BEIRUT

FROM

TELELETTER

SIR ROBIN MCLAREN, PEKING

NFR OF 03 MARCH 1992

FOLLOWING FOR WILLIAM EHRMAN, POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG COPIED TO

S WJ FULLER, NENAD, FCO

DE TATHAM, BEIRUT

VISAS FOR LEBANESE WISHING TO VISIT HONG KONG

1.

THE LEBANESE AMBASSADOR CALLED ON ME ON 3 MARCH TO ENLIST MY

HELP IN FACILITATING THE ISSUE OF VISAS FOR LEBANESE BUSINESSMEN

AND OTHERS WISHING TO VISIT HONG KONG.

2.

FARID SAMAHA SAID THAT UNDER HONG KONG'S PRESENT RULES, LEBANESE APPLICANTS FOR HONG KONG VISAS HAD TO GIVE THE NAME OF A SPONSOR IN HONG KONG. THE SPONSOR HAD TO BE INTERVIEWED BY THE

HONG KONG IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT DECIDED

WHETHER OR NOT TO APPROVE THE ISSUE OF A VISA THE CONSULATE WHERE

THE LEBANESE CITIZEN HAD APPLIED WAS THEN INFORMED. THE WHOLE

PROCEDURE TOOK A VERY LONG TIME.

3. THIS PROCEDURE, SAMAHA SAID, CONTRASTED WITH THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR LEBANESE WISHING TO VISIT THE UK WHO, IF THEY WERE TOURISTS OR VISITORS COULD GET VISAS IN BEIRUT QUICKLY ON THE SPOT. THERE WAS ALSO A MARKED CONTRAST WITH THE WAY IN WHICH VISA APPLICATIONS

FROM HONG KONG PEOPLE WISHING TO GO TO THE LEBANON WERE DEALT WITH. THEY COULD GET VISAS 'IN FIVE MINUTES' WITHOUT FUSS.

·

*

SAMAHA SAID THAT THE LENGTHY DELAYS INVOLVED CAUSED

INCONVENIENCE AND EMBARRASSMENT TO MANY LEBANESE INCLUDING THOSE

VISITING CHINA SINCE THEY NORMALLY TRAVELLED VIA HONG KONG. HE

HIMSELF HAD LAST VISITED HONG KONG SOME THREE YEARS EARLIER. MY PREDECESSOR HAD BEEN ABLE TO GIVE HIM HIS VISA FOR THE UK IMMEDIATELY, BUT IT HAD TAKEN TEN DAYS TO GET ONE FOR HONG KONG. ON ARRIVAL THERE HE HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO INTRUSIVE QUESTIONNING

AND HAD BEEN MADE TO FEEL LIKE A CRIMINAL.

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