GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
Mothman (328)
Draft reply, cleared
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TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2591
OF 20083OZ NOVEMBER 85
INFO PRIORITY PARIS, PEKING, HKGO BRUSSELS
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PARA. 3 OF YOUR TELNO 1636 : HONG KONG AGREEMENT : ACCEPTABILITY OF BN(0) PASSPORTS : FRANCE
SPEAKING
IN INFORMAL DISCUSSION WITH SECRETARY FOR SECURITY YESTERDAY, THE FRENCH CONSUL-GENERAL AND HIS DEPUTY INDICATED THAT, PERSONALLY, THEIR IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS MIGHT FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT BN(0) PASSPORTS IF THE RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT IN THE PASSPORT REFERRED TO ANOTHER DOCUMENT (THE HONG KONG PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD). A DIRECT RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT WOULD BE PREFERABLE. WE EXPLAINED WHY THIS SOLUTION WAS NOT POSSIBLE. THEY ACCEPTED THAT THE BN (0) PASSPORT WAS A UNIQUE DOCUMENT FOR A UNIQUE SITUATION. THEY UNDERTOOK TO REPORT BACK ANY INITIAL UNOFFICIAL REACTIONS FROM THEIR GOVERNMENT. THEY ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT HAD A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, AND THAT THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION.
2. ON VISA ABOLITION FOR BN (0)S, THE DEPUTY CONSUL-GENERAL COULD NOT BE SURE WHETHER BN(O)N VISITING FRANCE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE EXEMPTED FROM VISA REQUIREMENTS, AS THEIR EXISTING PRACTICE OF NOT REQUIRING HONG KONG BDTCS VISITING FRANCE FOR UP TO THREE MONTHS TO OBTAIN VISAS WAS A DEPARTURE FROM THE FRANCO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON VISA ABOLITION FOR BRITISH NATIONALS. WE ASSUMED HE WAS REFERRING TO THE 1946 AGREEMENT WHICH INEVITABLY DID NOT (NOT) PROVIDE FOR BDTC PASSPORTS. IN YOUR HKK 040/28 OF 11 SEPTEMBER YOU TOLD US THAT MVD WERE LOOKING INTO THE QUESTION OF VISA ABOLITION FOR BDTCS. WE WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THEIR FINDINGS ARE.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/NTD
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/MR RENTON
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING MR WILSON
COPIES TO:
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT. LEGAL ADVISERS
MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD
MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE
135
MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON
MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE
ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.
MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE
MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL