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DSR 11C
clear that nothing
less than an
It is
endorsement in the passport will be sufficient to
prevent a confrontation between the Legislative
Council and HMG.
There may be s ome room for
adjustment of the formula of this endorsement, but I
am bound to say that it will not do any good in Hong
Kong unless it mak es it clear that prior entry
clearance is not necessary for bona fide visitors.
been
I
understand that the main
advanced against this kind
that, because it could not be
argument which has
of endorsement
is
removed from the
passport, it would commit future governments not to
introduce a visa or entry certificate requirement for
visitors from Hong Kong. I do not find this argument
convincing. The logical conclusion would be that no
government could ever put any endorsement
passport in case i t made it more difficult for a
future government to change the law or practice: this
would apply equally for instance to right of abode
endorsements.
in a
The imposition of a visa ог entry certificate
requirement for visitors from Hong Kong would be s
difficult enough at any time:
as you know, in response v
to enquiries from MPs about whether visas would be
required, we have told them firmly that BN (O) s would ret
i
be subject to the same rules as BDTCs are subject to
now.
But if there ever were a crisis,
such as
occurred with
the Tamils last year, I do not think
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