GRS 750
CONFIDENT:1 AL
FROM PEKING
TO FCO
CONFIDENTIAL -
283/5.
ра
TELNO 933 OF 13/6/85
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
FROM PS/PUS
PUS'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: MEETING WITH UMELCO
HKK 243/5
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
1 4 JUN 1985
DESK OFFIC$2 INDEX
1. YOU MAY WISH TO HAVE A SUMMARY ACCOUNT OF THE PUS'S MEETING
WITH UMELCO ON 10 JUNE IN ADVANCE OF HIS RETURN.
2. IN A WELL PREPARED PRESENTATION, UMELCO RAISED FOUR SUBJECTS
WITH THE PUS:
(A) VIETNAMESE REFUGEES
MR ALLEN LEE MADE THREE POINTS: FIRST, THAT HONG KONG OPERATED A DOUBLE STANDARD, BY PROVIDING TEMPORARY REFUGE FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHILE SENDING BACK THOSE FROM CHINA: SECOND, THE UK, BY ACCEPTING FEWER AND FEWER REFUGEES, WAS IMPOSING A CONTINUING
SERIOUS BURDEN ON HONG KONG; AND, FINALLY, THAT THE CLOSED CAMPS WERE AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT, ON WHICH HE HOPED THE UK WOULD STAND FIRM. IN REPLY, THE PUS SAID THAT HE WOULD REPORT UMELCO'S WIEWS
TO LONDON. THE QUESTION OF ACCEPTING MORE REFUGEES WAS PRIMARILY
A MATTER FOR THE HOME OFFICE, BUT SIR GEOFFREY HOWE HAVE ALREADY CONVEYED HONG KONG'S VIEWS TO MR BRITTAN. THE PUS AGREED TO TAKE
UP A SUGGESTION (FROM SIR S Y CHEUNG) THAT HE SHOULD VISIT A CLOSED
CAMP (THIS WE DID ON 11 JUNE).
(B) BN(0) PASSPORTS AND ENTRY CERTIFICATES
REGISTRY
Action Taken
так
MR Q W LEE ARGUED THAT, SINCE FREEDOM OF TRAVEL WAS VITAL FOR HONG KONG'S COMMERCIAL SUCCESS, THE NEW BN(0) PASSPORT SHOULD BE MADE AS ATTRACTIVE AS POSSIBLE TO PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. IT SHOULD THEREFORE
GIVE THE HOLDER FREE AND UNRESTRICTED ENTRY TO THE UK. SINCE ENTRY
CERTIFICATES WERE NOT STRICTLY NECESSARY NOW FOR ENTRY TO THE UK
(AND WERE IN PRACTICE OFTEN GRANTED FOR PERIODS OF UP TO 48 MONTHS),
HMG SHOULD ABOLISH THEM ALTOGETHER FOR VISITORS FROM HONG KONG.
IN FURTHER DISCUSSION, MR LEE'S POINTS WERE STRONGLY REINFORCED BY MRS CHOW AND MISS DUNN, THE LATTER ARGUING THAT HMG COULD GAIN ENOURMOUS CREDIT BY ABOLISHING ENTRY CERTIFICATES. IN HER VIEW, THE MATTER WAS ESSENTIALLY ONE OF PRESENTATION, NOT SUBSTANCE. HMG WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BY ABOLISHING ENTRY CERTIFICATES, POSSIBLY IN PARALLEL WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW PASSPORT.
IN REPLY, THE PUS EXPLAINED THE TIMETABLE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ORDER IN COUNCIL, STRESSED OUR INTENTION TO CAMPAIGN VIGOROUSLY AT
THE RIGHT TIME IN SUPPORT OF THE BN (0) PASSPORT, AND UNDERTOOK TO
REPORT EXCO'S VIEWS ON THE BN(0) PASSPORT AND UNRESTRICTED ENTRY
TO THE HOME OFFICE.
(C) LAND COMMISSION
CONFIDENTIAL (MISS DUNN
(227)