GRS 320 CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 3471
OF 201035Z OCTOBER 86
2 Copy OPY
CONFIDENTIAL DIST 2
BRASILIA
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, NATIONALITY: INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF BN(0) PASSPORTS
LAST WEEK THE CONSUL GENERAL OF BRAZIL, MR CARLOS ALBERTO DE
AZAVEDO PIMENTEL CALLED ON THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION TO DISCUSS
THE NOTE ON BN(0) PASSPORTS WHICH HE HAD RECEIVED.
2. MR PITMENTEL IS A JOVIAL, INTELLIGENT NEW ARRIVAL WHO HAS SHOWN
A KEEN INTEREST IN AND A FAIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE NOTE ON
PASSPORTS BUT HAVING BEEN IN HONG KONG FOR BARELY TWO MONTHS HE IS
STILL SOMEWHAT BEMUSED BY THE PERMUTATIONS OF BRITISH CITIZENSHIPS.
3. IT WAS STRESSED UPON MR PIMENTEL HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS THAT HIS
COUNTRY SHOULD RECOGNISE THE NEW PASSPORT AND HE APPEARS TO HAVE
ACCEPTED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A CHANGE IN NOMENCLATURE.
HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT CONSIDERABLE WEIGHT WOULD BE GIVEN TO WHAT
HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE NEW PASSPORT BUT HE WAS AFRAID THAT THE
BUREAUCRATS IN BRAZILIA WOULD TAKE AN OVER-LEGALISITC APPROACH
AND FIND THE SUBJECT CONFUSING. HE THEREFORE, THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT
THAT HIS REPORT TO BRAZILIA SHOULD MAKE THE MATTER SO CRYSTAL CLEAR
THAT THERE WOULD BE NO QUESTION OF CONVOLUTED LEGAL ENTANGLEMENTS.
4. THE DIRECTOR EXPLAINED THAT THE BN (0) PASSPORT WAS A RESULT OF
THE NEGOTIATORS ARRIVING AT A PRACTICAL ANSWER TO A PROBLEM AND
THAT IT WAS IN THAT LIGHT THAT IT SHOULD BE SEEN. THERE IS NO
DOUBT ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF THE PASSPORT. BUT A LEGALISTIC APPROACH
TO IT MIGHT PROVE UNHELPFUL. HE ASSURED MR PIMENTEL THAT BRAZIL
WOULD FIND THAT HONG KONG PASSPORT HOLDERS WOULD REMAIN AS WELL
BEHAVED AS EVER AND HE HOPED THAT THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENT WHEREBY
HONG KONG PASSPORT HOLDERS MAY VISIT BRAZIL WITHOUT VISAS WILL
PREVAIL.
5. IT IS INTENDED TO MAKE A FOLLOW-UP VISIT ON MR PIMENTEL IN THE
NEXT FEW DAYS SO AS TO CLARIFY ANY DOUETS HE MAY STILL HAVE. YOUDE
HMLUAN 3551
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
COPIES TO:
LR FIFOOT,
HD/NTD
MR PLANT,
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
LEGAL ADVISERS
LEGAL ADVISERS
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR WILSON
MR BARRINGTON
MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD
MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE
MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON
MF NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE
ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.
MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE
CONFIDENTIAL
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken i
1 1 NOV 1986
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
DESK OFFICER
INDEX