CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 300 CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PPIORITY FCO
TELNO 2826
OF 131010Z DECEMBER 85
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
YOUR TELNO 1848 : HONG KONG AGREEMENT : NATIONALITY : REPATRIATION
OF BN (0)S.
WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE VIEW YOU EXPRESSED IN PAPA. 2(F) OF TUR
THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO OBTAIN A GUARANTEE OF REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE
HK SAR GOVERNMENT BEFORE YOU COULD AGREE TO REPATRIATE A BN (0) TO
HONG KONG AFTER 1 JULY 1997. OUR CONCLUSION IS THAT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT IS WELL ACCEPTED AS PART OF CONSULAR PROTECTION, THE
HK SAP GOVERNMENT WILL VIEW REPATRIATION OF HOLDERS OF BRITISH
PASSPORTS AS A CLEAP BRITISH RESPONSIBILITY (WE WOULD BE INTERESTED
TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IF A BOC PESIDENT IN SAY KENYA PEQUESTS
REPATRIATION AT HMG'S EXPENSE TO KENYA: AND WE NOTE FROM YOUR
RECENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CANADIANS ON THE ENTRY OF ROCS TO CANADA
AS VISITORS THAT YOU HAVE AGREED TO TAKE BACK BOCS IN POSSESSION OF
VISITOR VISAS ISSUED BY CANADA IF THEY PROVED TO BE INADMISIBLE
TO OTHER COUNTRIES). IN ANY CASE FOR YOU TO INSIST THAT YOU WOULD PEQUIPE SUCH A CUARANTEE WOULD VIPTUALLY SAPOTAGE PM(0) PASSPORTS AS FAR AS THIRD COUNTRIES APE CONCEPTET AND WOULD BE ENTIRELY
UNACCEPTABLE HERE.
2. WE DO NOT (NOT) THINK THAT EXPENDITURE ON REPATRIATION WOULD IN PRACTICE PRESENT YOU WITH A PROBLEM. DIPLOMATIC SERVICE PROCEDURES CLEARLY PROVIDE THAT EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS ON REPATRIATION SHOULD BE AUTHORISED ONLY AS A LAST PESORT, AND AGAINST AN UNDERTAKING TO REPAY. ALTHOUCH WE DO NOT HAVE ANY STATISTICS ON HK BDTCS PEPATRIATED AT PUBLIC EXPENSE, THE NUMBERS ARE SMALL AND MOST PEOPLE REPATPIATED AT PUBLIC EXPENSE REIMBURSE THE COSTS OF THEIR PEPATRIATION. IF ANY BN (0)S FAIL TO PEPAY, YOU HAVE AN EFFECTIVE SANCTION AGAINST THEN THROUGH IMPOUNDING THE IP BRITISH PASSPORTS, PESTRICTING THE VALIDITY OF THEIR PASSPORTS OR DECLINING TO ISSUE THEM WITH BRITISH PASSPORTS.
CONFIDENTIAL
/3