GRS 450
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2512
CONTENTIAL
OF 15085OZ NOVEMBER 85
Hull 040/28
RECLIVED IS REGIST.
1 2 NOV 1985
INDIA
PA
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, ROME, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE BRUSSELS.
(201
PARA. 3 OF YOUR TELNO 1636 HONG KONG AGREEMENT : ACCEPTABILITY
OF BN (0) PASSPORTS : ITALY.
IN INFORMAL DISCUSSION WITH THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY TODAY, THE
ITALIAN CONSUL GENERAL SAID THAT THE RETURNABILITY OF BN (0)
PASSPORT HOLDERS TO THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE WOULD BE THE MAIN
CONCERN OF HIS GOVERNMENT. HE INDICATED THAT A SUITABLE RIGHT OF
ABODE ENDORSEMENT AGREED BY THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ON
GUARANTEEING THE HOLDER'S RETURNABILITY TO HONG KONG WOULD BE A
CRUCIAL FACTOR. HE WAS AWARE OF THE RELEVANT PASSAGE IN THE JOINT
AGREEMENT AND UNPROMPTED SAID HOW IMPORTANT IT WOULD BE FOR THE
ENDORSEMENT TO REFER EXPLICITLY TO RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG**
•
2. ON VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECRITY EMPHASISED
THAT THE INTENTION OF HMG WAS TO SEEK TO ENSURE THAT CURRENT
ARRANGEMENTS WHICH APPLIED TO HONG KONG BDTCS WOULD ALSO APPLY TO
BN (0)S. THE CONSUL-GENERAL EXPLAINED THAT HIS GOVERNMENT REVIEWED
THE RULES GOVERNING ENTRY FROM TIME TO TIME TAKING INTO ACCOUNT
PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES. AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE ITALIAN
GOVERNMENT WOULD PROBABLY BE INFLUENCED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF
PERSONS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES NOW IN ITALY ILLEGALLY. BUT HE ADDED
THAT GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT TRADE LINKS AND TRAFFIC FLOW BETWEEN
ITALY AND HONG KONG, THE TREATMENT OF BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS WOULD
BE FAVOURABLY CONSIDERED.
3. THE CONSUL-GENERAL ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THERE MIGHT BE ADVANTAGE FOR HMG WHEN MAKING FORMAL APPROACHES TO GOVERNMENT ON THIS SUBJECT .
ALSO TO TACKLE THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY. HE THOUGHT THAT AS EACH
MEMBER COUNTRY WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW HOW THE OTHERS REACTED, THE SUBJECT WOULD PROBABLY END UP IN BRUSSELS ANYWAY.
4. THE CONSUL-GENERAL UNDERTOOK TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIS GOVERNMENT AND TO REPORT BACK ANY INITIAL UNOFFICIAL REACTIONS. UNOFFICIALLY, HE REPEATED THAT GIVEN A SUITABLE RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT, WHICH
WOULD GUARANTEE THE HOLDER'S RETURNABILITY IN BN (0) PASSPORTS HE FORESAW NO SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR HIS GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THEM.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH D (FE)
J
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
D/HD PUSD
MR WILSON
CONTIDENTIAL
309