CONFIDENTIAL
6084 1
BEFORE PASSPORTS SHOWING THE NEW STATUS ARE INTRODUCED IN JULY 1987. GIVEN THE CLEAR INDICATION OF RIGHT OF ABODE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PASSPORT, GUARANTEEING THE RETURNABILITY OF BN (0)S TO HONG KONG, I CAN SEE NO REASON FOR THIRD COUNTRIES TO INTRODUCE DIFFERENT RESTRICTIONS ON ENTRY OF BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS FROM THOSE WHICH APPLY TO BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS.
4.
I THINK THAT IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WILL ACCEPT THE PASSPORTS FOR ENTRY TO THAT COUNTRY, AS HAVE THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT. I AM CONFIDENT THAT OTHER GOVERNMENTS WILL FOLLOW THEIR LEAD ONCE WE HAVE EXPLAINED THE CHANGES. 5. AS I HAVE ALREADY EXPLAINED WE HAVE ACHIEVED A VERY SATISFACTORY RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT FOR THE BN(0) PASSPORT. THERE SHOULD THEREFORE BE NO NEED FOR BN (0)S TO CARRY THEIR ID
WE WILL BE MAKING THIS CLEAR TO CARDS AS WELL AS THEIR PASSPORT.
THIRD COUNTRIES.
6. (OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS) HMG SHOULD PROVIDE FULL AND REGULAR REPORTS ON HOW THEY ARE GOING ABOUT PERSUADING THIRD COUNTRIES TO ACCEPT PASSPORTS SHOWING THE NEW NATIONAL STATUS AND THE PROGRESS MADE. (CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS)
A NUMBER OF HON MEMBERS HAVE ASKED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROVIDE PROGRESS REPORTS ON OUR APPROACHES TO THIRD COUNTRIES ABOUT PASSPORTS SHOWING THE NEW NATIONAL STATUS.
7. WHILE I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE WRONG FOR US TO REVEAL THE APPROACH WE WILL BE ADOPTING WITH PARTICULAR COUNTRIES IN ADVANCE, I QUITE ACCEPT THE IMPORTANCE THE HOUSE AND HONG KONG OPINION ATTACH TO BEING KEPT INFORMED OF OUR PROGRESS IN THIS CAMPAIGN OF EXPLANATION. THE GOVERNMENT WILL THEREFORE PROVIDE REPORTS FROM TIME TO TIME ON THE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROACHED AND THEIR RESPONSES.
ENDS.
HOWE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/NTD
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING MR WILSON
. COPIES TO:
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD
MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE
MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON
MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE
ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.
MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE
MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL
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