A Shepherd Esq
Migration & Visa Dept FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
R+R.
26
HKK345/2
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. ITISH EMBASSY
3 0 MAY 1979
FRICS
INDEX
REGISTRY
Action Taken
По
рь
May 1979
VISA WAIVER ARRANGEMENTS:
1.
HONG KONG
Thank you for your letter of 11 May in which you asked for our considered view of the motives behind German reluctance to waive the visa requirement for entry into the Federal Republic for British passport holders from Hong Kong.
2.
Without testing the water here we find it hard to give you an authoritative answer, either as regards German motives or on their likely reaction to an informal approach here. On the face of it the arguments contained in Bridge's letter to the Federal German Consul-General in Hong Kong of 2 January should be persuasive in pointing out that Hong Kong would guarantee to readmit British passport holders from there and in emphasizing that neighbouring countries of the European Community already waived visa requirements for visitors holding Hong Kong British passports. remain of the view that these two points, together with the argument based on reciprocity, should form the crux of our case to the Germans. After further consideration we think that an approach should be made here for the following
reasons.
We
3. Firstly, there is sensitivity in the FRG on the question of foreign communities. There are as many as 1.9 million foreign workers here. They create similar problems to their counterparts in Britain though so far to a less acute extent. But concern about them is growing nonetheless and it accounts for a general feeling of reserve on any proposal to change the regulations in such a way as to risk increasing the number of foreign residents. Even though there is as far as we know no existing problem over people of Chinese origin, this attitude may still have spilled over to affect the Hong Kong visa question.
4. Secondly, there has probably been some misunderstanding. Although Bridge covered the ground very clearly in his letter of 2 January to the FRG Consul-General, the message may not have got home to Bonn with equal clarity. Even if it did it
CONFIDENTIAL
/may