M
GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2741
OF 05094OZ DECEMBER 85
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO PRIORITY MEXICO CITY, PEKING, HKGO NEW YORK
25
YOUR TELNO 1735: HONG KONG BDTCS : VISAS FOR MEXICO.
WE FAVOUR THE APPROACH IN THE FIRST PART OF THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARA. 3 OF TUR, 1.E. TO APPROACH THE MEXICANS TO TRY TO OBTAIN VISA FREE ENTRY FOR HONG KONG BDTCS WITH A FALL BACK POSITION OF 30 DAY VISAS WITHOUT REFERENCE.
2. IN VIEW OF YOUR ASSESSMENT THAT THE MEXICANS' ENFORCEMENT OF A VISA REQUIREMENT WHICH INCLUDED PRIOR REFERENCE TO MEXICO CITY FOR HONG KONG BDTCS IN EARLY 1984 APPEARS TO STEM FROM THEIR CONCERN WITH A POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT INFLUX OF HONG KONG PEOPLE INTO MEXICO PRIOR TO 1997, MEXICO CITY MAY WISH TO RAISE THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WITH THE MEXICAN AUTHORITIES IN THEIR APPROACH TO THEM
(A) HOW MANY HONG KONG BDTCS HAVE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS ATTEMTPED TO ENTER MEXICO ILLEGALLY OR TO STAY UNDERGROUND AFTER ENTERING LEGALLY AS VISITORS?
-
(B) HAVE HONG KONG BDTCS CAUSED ANY IMMIGRATION PROBLEM OTHER THAN ILLEGAL ENTRY OR OVERSTAYING, AND IF SO WHAT SORT OF PROBLEMS AND HOW SERIOUS ARE THEY?
(C) SINCE THE REQUIREMENT FOR VISAS WHICH INCLUDES REFERENCE TO MEXICO CITY WAS ENFORCED IN EARLY 1984, HAVE THE AUTHORITIES IN MEXICO CITY UNEARTHED ANY INFORMATION RELATING TO THE APPLICANTS WHICH HAS NOT BEEN OBTAINED IN HONG KONG?
THE ISSUE OF 30
3. IN PRESSING THE CASE FOR VISA ABOLITION (OR DAY VISAS WITHOUT REFERENCE TO MEXICO CITY AS A FALLBACK), WE WOULD BE HAPPY FOR MEXICO CITY TO GIVE TO THE MEXICAN AUTHORITIES
AN UNQUALIFIED GUARANTEE TO TAKE BACK ALL HONG KONG BDTCS HOLDING PASSPORTS DESIGNATED AS SUCH OR AS CUKCS, EVEN AFTER THE EXPIRY OF THE PASSPORTS.
YOUDE
'HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RES (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
BIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY PUSD
PS/LADY YOUNG.
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS MR PEIRCE, ABST STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE MR DRC CHRISTOPHER
CABINET OFFICE
SIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL