TNAG-2790-FCO40-4029-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1993 — Page 197

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Draft letter

[3-1trambs]

Separate letters to the Ambassadors of : Turkey, China, (Greece) Cote d'Ivoire

High Commissioners of Nigeria and–Zambia

AND ZAMBIA (115).

TURKEY (245), CHINA (159), GREEZE (ISI), CÔTE D'IVOIRE (101 (143)

PARKING FINES

I am sorry to have to write to you about parking fines but you will know from the figures published to Parliament on 10 May that your Mission has one of the worst parking records among diplomatic Missions. At the time of writing you have a total

unpaid parking fines.

of

•

•

We appreciate the problems of parking in an overcrowded city. But this is something with which we all have to cope, including diplomatic Missions, most of which go about their business without breaking parking regulations. I am afraid

that we cannot accept the present situation where members of

your staff using official vehicles or driving their own cars

persistently break parking regulations and refuse to pay parking fines. In our view, this is inconsistent with the

Vienna Convention. Ministers have made it absolutely clear on

numerous occasions that we will take action against diplomatic Missions with poor parking records. We cannot make the

policy.

Mission/High Commission an exception to that Eu bersy

I fear that I must ask you to arrange for all the outstanding

fines to be paid within four weeks from the date of this

letter. The payment should please be made to the Fixed

Penalty Clerk, Fixed Penalty Office, PO Box 230, 185

Marylebone Road, London NW1 6QU. If no payment is made by then, I very much regret that we will have no option but to

request the withdrawal of a diplomatic member of your staff.

I should be grateful if you would kindly let me know as soon

as the fines have been paid. We would find it very helpful to

have a copy of the receipt from the Fixed Penalty Office so