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of the "United Kingdom and Colonies") should carry less weight than a guarantee to accept them into the United Kingdom, which itself constitutes another part of the same entity. Incidentally the Federal Republic waives visa requirements for passport holders of Singapore and other ASEAN countries and although Hong Kong's constitutional position is different, there seems to be no reason why this should make any difference in the practical arrangements for handling Hong Kong passport holders.

I therefore suggest there would be great advantage if the Federal Republic would now fall in line with all the other neigh- bouring E E C countries, France, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg, in waiving visa requirements for visitors holding Hong Kong British passports. From Hong Kong, the E E C (including the UK) is increasingly regarded as a unit and it is therefore all the more puzzling and annoying for Hong Kong businessmen who do trade with the EEC countries (above all with Germany

(above all with Germany to have to obtain visas for one country alone when they visit the Furopean Community, and this is at a time when Hong Kong is becoming more and more important for China's rapidly developing foreign trade.

bec

A Shepherd Esq

RJT Mclaren Esq

DS Whitehead Dsq CMG CVO

Sfor S

PA Mr D Wilson

Yours sincerely

R G B Bridge

Director of Immigration

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