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GOVERNMENT.
27.
ONE ISSUE WHICH HAS BEEN OF PARTICULAR CONCERN IS THE RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT TO BE PLACED IN BN(0) PASSPORTS. THIS NEEDS TO BE AGREED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THE UK GOVERNMENT CANNOT GIVE SUCH A RIGHT IN THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AFTER 1 JULY 1997. WE HAVE THEREFORE DISCUSSED THIS MATTER
WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. THEY HAVE AGREED IN PRINCIPLE THAT THE WORDING OF THE ENDORSEMENT SHOULD BE
AS FOLLOWS:
THE HOLDER OF THIS PASSPORT HAS HONG KONG PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD NO. (THE NUMBER WILL BE ENTERED) WHICH
STATES THAT THE HOLDER HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG
KONG.'
THE CHINESE HAVE ALSO AGREED IN PRINCIPLE THAT IN THIS CONTEXT HONG KONG WILL MEAN HONG KONG BEFORE 1997, AND THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AFTER 1997. WE EXPECT TO REACH FORMAL AGREEMENT ON THIS AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS AT THE NEXT
MEETING OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP IN MARCH.
28.
THE WORDING OF THIS ENDORSEMENT IS IN LINE WITH SECTION
XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT IS A CLEAR AND
UNEQUIVOCAL STATEMENT. THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVE IT WILL ENSURE THAT BN (0)S WILL NOT NEED TO CARRY THEIR IDENTITY CARDS WITH THEM WHEN THEY TRAVEL, THAT IT WILL EFFECTIVELY GUARANTEE THAT BN (0)S WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN TO HONG KONG, AND THAT IT WILL THEREFORE BE SATISFACTORY TO IMMIGRATION OFFICERS IN THIRD COUNTRIES. CERTAINLY THE INITIAL REACTION HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING. THERE HAVE BEEN
HELPFUL RESPONSES FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA AND THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT WILL EMBARK ON A ROUND OF EXPLANATIONS ONCE THE ORDER
IN COUNCIL IS PASSED AND BEFORE THE NEW PASSPORT IS INTRODUCED
IN 1987 TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF DIFFICULTY FOR TRAVELLERS
USING IT.
THERE HAVE BEEN HELPFUL RESPONSES FROM THE UNITED STATES,
AUSTRALIA AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT.
ENDS.
REMAINDER OF TEXT FOLLOWS IN MIFT.
HOWE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/NTD
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/R 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