GRS 200
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
Confidential
HUCK 340/1
RECEIVER
17 NOV 1986
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 3807
OF 140825Z NOVEMBER 86
INFO ROUTINE MADRID
INC
Mele
$115
1077
TOP CUPY
NATIONALITY: INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF BN (0) PASSPORTS
AT OUR INVITATION, CONSUL-GENERAL OF SPAIN (PEDAUYE) CALLED ON THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY TO DISCUSS THE NOTE ON FACILITATING TRAVEL OF BN (OS) TO THIRD COUNTRIES.
2 PEDAUYE CONFIRMED THE SPANISH EMBASSY IN LONDON HAS BEEN APPROACHED BY FCO BUT SAID HE HAD HEARD NOTHING FROM MADRID YET. PEDAUYE ASKED ABOUT :
(A) THE REACTION OF COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE NO DIPLOMATIC RELATION WITH PRC:
(B) THE REACTION OF OTHER EEC COUNTRIES.
3. S FOR S REPLIED THAT HE HAD SPOKEN TO THE CONSUL-GENERAL OF KOREA AND THERE WAS APPARENTLY NO PROBLEM OVER ITS ACCEPTING THE BN (0) PASSPORT. AS REGARDS EEC COUNTRIES S FOR S SAID HE HAD SO FAR SPOKEN TO CONSUL-GENERALS OF GERMANY, FRANCE AND THE NETHERLANDS AND THEIR REACTIONS HAD BEEN POSITIVE.
4. S FOR S REASSURED PEDAUYE OF THE RETURNABILITY OF BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS AND EXPLAINED THE RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT. PEDAUYE SAID HE PERSONALLY SAW NO REASON WHY HIS GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE NEW STATUS AND THE PASSPORT THAT GOES WITH IT.
5. ON VISA ABOLITION PEDAUYE WAS LESS HOPEFUL. HE SAID THAT SPAIN WAS FACING SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM PORTUGAL. PHILIPPINES, TAIWAN AND SOME AFRICAN COUNTRIES. HE SAID THAT THE CURRENT TREND WAS TO RESCIND VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENTS RATHER THAN TO EXTEN VAA TO OTHER PLACES. IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR HIS GOVERNMENT TO EXTEND VISA ABOLITION TO HONG KONG HAVING JUST INTRODUCED VISAS FOR TRAVELLERS FROM THE PHILIPPINES. PEDAUYE SAID EVEN THOUGH HONG KONG TRAVELLERS HAD NOT CAUSED PROBLEMS FOR
Confidential
/SPANISH