RESTRICTED
FM BANGKOK
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 269
OF 24085OZ JUNE 93
RESTRICTED
HKD 021/2
25 1993
(67)
003757
MDLIAN 1053
-pu
lut sup:
мот
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, PEKING
THAILAND/HONG KONG
SUMMARY
1.
THAIS ENCOURAGED BY OUR MANAGEMENT OF DIFFICULT HONG KONG PROBLEM. REQUEST TO REVIEW WAITING TIME FOR PRC NATIONALS SEEKING HONG KONG VISAS OVERTAKEN BY RELAXATION OF HONG KONG VISA REQUIREMENTS.
DETAIL
2.
IN MY TALK WITH DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER SURIN PITSUWAN ON 16 JUNE WE TOUCHED BRIEFLY ON HONG KONG. I ASSURED SURIN THAT WE WERE NOT TRYING TO OVERTURN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND WE HAD NO HIDDEN AGENDA. WE WERE DOGGEDLY AND PATIENTLY TRYING TO BRING THE CHINESE OFF THEIR HIGH HORSE, AND WE WERE AT LEAST BACK IN DIALOGUE. OUR WISH WAS TO FIND THE DIFFICULT PACKAGE WHICH PRESERVED FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHILST REMAINING ACCEPTABLE TO A PRC LEADERSHIP HIGHLY NERVOUS OF IMPORTING DEMOCRACY AT A PACE THEY COULD NOT CONTROL.
3.
SURIN SAID THAT THAILAND WAS DISTURBED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD ARISEN, BUT WAS ENCOURAGED BY OUR MANAGEMENT OF IT. HOPED BOTH SIDES WOULD FIND A SOLUTION. THEY RECOGNISED THE EMOTIONAL AND DIFFICULT NATURE OF THE ISSUE.
4. SURIN THEN SAID HE HAD BEEN ASKED BY COLLEAGUES TO RAISE ONE SPECIFIC POINT. THE THAIS HAD NOTICED A FALL-OUT IN THE NUMBER OF MAINLAND CHINESE, ESPECIALLY FROM SHANGHAI, COMING TO THAILAND EN ROUTE FOR HONG KONG. THIS SEEMED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE GREATER TIME IT NOW TOOK PRC NATIONALS TO GET A HONG KONG VISA IN BANGKOK. WAS THE REASON A PROBLEM WITH THE PEKING AUTHORITIES?
5. I EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS NOT. WE HAD OURSELVES REALISED THAT PRC NATIONALS WERE FINDING THEY COULD GET HONG KONG VISAS MORE QUICKLY BY TRANSITING THAILAND THAN BY APPLYING IN PEKING. SOME THAI ENTREPRENEURS WERE ENCOURAGING THEM. WE HAD TAKEN STEPS TO
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