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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
2 8 OCT 1986
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GRS 450
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
Confidential
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TELNO 12529 3
OF 270345Z OCTOBER 86
INFO ROUTINE COPENHAGEN, OSLO, STOCKHOLM, HELSINKI
NATIONALITY: BN (0): DISCUSSIONS WITH CGS/COMMISSIONERS : DENMARK
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY MET THE DANISH CONSUL-GENERAL DONDE TO DISCUSS THE NOTE ON FACILITATING TRAVEL OF BN (0)S TO THIRD COUNTRIES. DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION WAS ALSO PRESENT.
2.
DONDE SAID THAT FOLLOWING THE DANISH PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO HONG KONG LAST EASTER DURING WHICH HE WAS BRIEFED BY THE POLITICAL ADVISER AND THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION, THERE HAD BEEN REGULAR CONTACTS BETWEEN HIS CONSULATE AND COPENHAGEN ON THE ISSUES OF BN(0) AND VISA ABOLITION. DONDE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT AUTHORISED TO SPEAK AT THIS STAGE, HE WAS GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND WHEN HE WAS IN COPENHAGEN DURING HIS RECENT HOME LEAVE THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM IN RECOGNISING THE BN (0) STATUS AND THE PASSPORT THAT GOES WITH IT. HE CONFIRMED THAT SO FAR HIS GOVERNMENT HAD HAD NO DIFFICULTIES IN UNDERSTANDING THE NOTE GIVEN TO THEM ON THIS SUBJECT.
3. ON THE QUESTION OF VISA ABOLITION, DONDE INFORMED US THAT THE MATTER WOULD BE DISCUSSED AT A MEETING IN THE NORDIC FORUM TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR. HE ASSURED US THAT THE DANISH ATTITUDE TOWARDS REMOVING VISA REQUIREMENTS IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG PASSPORT HOLDERS WOULD DEFINITELY BE POSITIVE AND FAVOURABLE. BUT THE NORDIC COUNTRIES WOULD HAVE TO ACT IN CONCERT.
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DONDE THEN BRIEFED US ON THE DANISH GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO COUNTER THE PROBLEM OF LARGE NUMBERS OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS BY TIGHTENING UP THEIR PRESENT LAW. HE SAID THAT AMONG THE NORDIC COUNTRIES, DENMARK HAD THE MOST LIBERAL LAW TOWARDS ASYLUM-SEEKERS AND THAT IT WAS INCREASINGLY BEING ABUSED BY PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT GENUINE POLITICAL REFUGEES. HE ENVISAGED THAT SUCH AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW SHOULD ALLOW HIS GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT A MORE LIBERAL LINE ON VISAS.
5. IN RESPONSE TO OUR ENQUIRY, DONDE CONFIRMED THAT VISITORS FROM HONG KONG DID NOT POSE ANY PROBLEM TO THE DANISH AUTHORITIES. HE SAID THAT HIS CONSULATE RECEIVED ABOUT 2,000 VISA APPLICATIONS A YEAR FROM HONG KONG BDTCS AND CERTIFICATE OF IDENTITY HOLDERS AND ONLY A TINY NUMBER OF THESE APPLICATIONS WAS REFUSED. HE APPREC- IATED THE INVONVENIENCE OF GETTING A VISA AND WAS IN FAVOUR OF A MORE LIBERAL POLICY TOWARDS TRAVELLERS FROM HONG KONG.
Confidential
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