AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION
INWARD CABLEGRAM
STRICTED ESTRICTE RESTRICTED
2-0.CH393114
()
3. ON THE FIRST QUESTION ABOVE, WE NOTE THAT THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, IN AN EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA WITH THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN BEIJING ON 11 APRIL 1986, DECLARED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL, WHEN NECESSARY, STATE TO GOVERNMENTS OF THIRD COUNTRIES THAT BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THE HONG KONG SAR AFTER 30 JUNE 1997, WE ALSO NOTE THAT THE BN(0) PASSPORT, WILL CONTAIN AN ENDORSEMENT TO THE EFFECT THAT THE HOLDER IS ALSO THE HOLDER OF A HONG KONG PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD WHICH STATES THAT THE HOLDER HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG.
4.
ON THE FOURTH QUESTION, WE NOTE THAT ARTICLE 6 OF THE HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986 PROVIDES THAT HONG KONG RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT ACQUIRE BN(0) STATUS, AND WHO WOULD AFTER 1997 BECOME STATELESS, WILL BECOME BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS AS FROM THAT DATE WHAT ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE MADE, HOWEVER, TO PROVIDE SUCH PERSONS WITH TRAVEL DOCUMENTS?
5.
ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ABOVE HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY OR IMPLICITLY EXPLAINED, WE WOULD APPRECIATE AS FULL A CLARIFICATION AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO ASSIST OUR EXAMINATION OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE BN(0) PASSPORT FOR AUSTRALIA. WE WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION IF YOU WISHED TO PASS ACROSS A PIECE OF PAPER CONTAINING THE ABOVE QUERIES.
6. YOU MAY ASSURE YOUR INTERLOCUTERS THAT SHOULD IT BE COME NECESSARY FOR US TO APPROACH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO OBTAIN ADVICE OF THEIR INTENTIONS AFTER 1997, WE WOULD WISH TO DO SO IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES.
7. GRATEFUL ADVICE IN DUE COURSE.
ACTION: POL
JAB
HC
DHC
MIN
05
IMMIG
RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED
INWARD
INWARD