Russians have the most tickets waived

The number of parking tickets waived for diplomats in Hong Kong rose last year - and the Russians are the chart-toppers.

Of the 27 tickets torn up by the Protocol Office last year, six were incurred by envoys from Moscow. Just 15 tickets were withdrawn in 2004, with the five recorded by the United Arab Emirates being the highest for any single consulate.

The number of successful applications for withdrawal is much lower than in the late 1990s. There were 93 tickets waived in 1997.

Over the last four years, the Russians have had the most tickets torn up - 14. In the same period, Israel and the United Arab Emirates have each had 10 waived.

The latest Hong Kong figures come as some foreign embassies in London have renewed a diplomatic row over GBP8 ($115) congestion charges. The American embassy there reportedly owes the city GBP202,150. The Russians have reportedly paid their congestion charges in London.

While most Hong Kong drivers who pick up a ticket must pay a $320 spot fine, diplomats can have them waived as part of their consular privilege. Dmitri Prosvirkin, press attache for the Russian consulate in Hong Kong, defended his country's parking habits. He said the consulate uses nine cars, which means each car gets only two-thirds of a ticket each year.