CONFIDENTIAL
OCMIAN 3991
CONFIDENTIAL
PP HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
071700Z NOV
GRS 327
HKM 040/28 ним
RECEIVED IN DEGISTICY
1 1 NOV 1985
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
258
TOP COPY
3991
←
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 1735
OF 07170OZ NOVEMBER 85
INFO MEXICO CITY, PEKING
122
YOUR TELNO 1644 AND OUR TELNO 1031: HONG KONG BDTCS: VISAS FOR
MEXICO
1.
UK/MEXICO VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENT (VAA) OF 1959
SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. HOWEVER MEXICANS
DID NOT BEGIN TO ENFORCE A VISA REQUIREMENT WHICH INCLUDED PRIOR REFERENCE TO MEXICO CITY FOR HONG KONG BDTCS UNTIL EARLY 1984
AFTER BECOMING AWARE THAT BDTCS WERE SUBJECT TO UK IMMIGRATION
CONTROL. APPARENTLY MEXICAN CONCERN STEMMED FROM REALISATION
THAT THE LARGEST VOLUME OF BDTCS SUBJECT TO UK IMMIGRATION CONTROL SEEKING TO ENTER MEXICO WERE FROM HONG KONG AND THAT
MEXICO ALREADY HAD A SIGNIFICANT CHINESE POPULATION MANY WITH
TIES WITH HONG KONG. THIS CONCERN INCREASED DURING THE
SINO-BRITISH NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG KONG.
2.
WE HAD INTENDED TO APPROACH MEXICANS WITH A VIEW TO EXTENDING THE VAA TO COVER ALL BDTCS BUT POST HAVE ADVISED THAT
IN VIEW OF MEXICAN CONCERNS AND REGARDLESS OF ANY ASSURANCES WE WOULD BE ABLE TO OFFER, MEXICAN GOVERNMENT ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE A SIGNIFICANT INFLUX OF HONG KONG
CITIZENS INTO MEXICO PRIOR TO 1997. BECAUSE OF THIS IT MAY BE
THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN VISA FREE ENTRY INTO MEXICO FOR BDTCS
WOULD NOT SUCCEED AND WOULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE. POST HAVE
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