CONFIDENTIAL
welcomed the agreement in principle on the new BN (0)
passport reached in the recent meeting of the Joint
Liaison Group. Whilst making clear that the new BN (0)
passport still had to be formally examined by the
Australian authorities, the Commission said
that the
passport appeared to
viewpoint and not to present any problems.
be acceptable from an Australian
the
Hong Kong
usual visa
people should be able to continue visiting Australia as
they presently do, subject to
requirements." (Extract from press statement
the
issued by
Australian Commission in Hong Kong on 6 December
1985). Finally, on 27 April 1986 in an article written
for a South China Morning Post supplement on "Japan
Review 1986", the Japanese Consul-General in Hong Kong
said that "the Japanese Government, for its part, is
fully prepared to extend all possible cooperation in the
efforts to
gain wide acceptability of (Hong
Kong's) new passports by the world community."]
L
8.
The acceptability of BN (0) passports worldwide,
like other aspects of the implementation of the Joint
Declaration on Hong Kong, is a subject in which
Any public
Parliament takes a close interest. HMG have undertaken
to report to Parliament on the outcome of our approaches
to other countries on this matter.
expressions of support by foreign governments would be
most welcome in this context. Please do anything you can
I
tactfully to solicit public expressions of support.
should be grateful if you would report all reactions,
whether public or given to you through
official
channels.
CONFIDENTIAL