CODE 18-77 AWO Ltd.
7/84
CONFIDENTIAL
[JA3AOP]
lovey munk
Юлиться равно про прожу
hunty.
Mr Powell
Paye11.
HKD
ト
22%
BN (O) AND THIRD COUNTRIES:
1.
Reference....
полови
332
puose (a) popne druft unter (~8~(@)
ты власт у вин жири + explans aurea
(6) Prepare dift plitval appeals,
ou submit Tholine to put
Galowity with
REFERENCE THE ATTACHED RAPERS
NTD's solution for explaining the BNA 1981 was very neat
Other
readily
and caused f ew problems, if any. accepted passports showing the new national statuses. NTD's Note to Governments also explained that in international
agreements entered into by the UK, where mention was made of CUKC, the UK would interpret these agreements as applying to the new categories. If any country wanted to protest
to protest or quibble that was the time for them to do so. I assume no country did.
2.
I agree with NTD that we should not open up another Pandora's Box by seeking to renegotiate ог amend international agreement such as VAAS and therefore а similar procedure for explaining the technicalities of the BN(0) status would have my vote. But this time it will not be enough just to state the bald technical facts and that the UK will henceforth interpret international agreements as also applying to BN (O) s. After all we want other countries to interpret these agreements in the same way and if we just left it at that, because of possible misconceptions regarding the political stability of Hong Kong in the run up to 1997 and beyond, I could imagine s ome countries taking the opportunity to reserve their position. We have said all along that we must also be prepared to support the technical explanation with heavy political lobbying. I am not sure that NTD have taken that on board.
3.
I think there is a danger of this getting out of hand. I t cannot be left to NTD, MVD and the Home Office to decide how we are going to explain BN (O) to other countries. Before ideas in other departments a re set in concrete therefore, I think we should convene a fairly high level meeting soon with all the interested parties. On the specific subject of the Netherlands VAA, I think nothing should be done until
we have decided on a general strategy.
21 January 1986
HAM 04014
рг
36/
Dill
M THill
Hong Kong Department WH 305
233 3722
CONFIDENTIAL