GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
WKK 340/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
23 DEC 1986
TODIST
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 4219
OF 22085OZ DECEMBER 86
INFO ROUTINE WELLINGTON
FA
STRY
ken
NATIONALITY : INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF BN (0) PASSPORTS
AT OUR REQUEST, CONSUL-GENERAL OF NEW ZEALAND (MULLER) MET
WITH S FOR S ON 18 DECEMBER TO DISCUSS THE NOTE WE SENT HIM ON
THE BN (0) STATUS AND PASSPORT.
2.
MULLER SAID THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WOULD SOON RESPOND TO THE
APPROACH MADE BY FCO ON THIS MATTER. HE DID NOT (NOT) SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE BN (0) STATUS AND PASSPORT BEING ACCEPTED. HE SAID
THAT HIS GOVERNMENT DID NOT REGARD RECOGNISING THE NEW STATUS
AND PASSPORT AS A MAJOR ISSUE.
3. IN RESPONSE TO S FOR S'S INQUIRY ON WHETHER THERE WOULD BE
ANY OBJECTION TO HONG KONG MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW ZEALAND'S
RECOGNITION MULLER SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THIS WOULD BE USEFUL FOR
HONG KONG AND WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE NO (NO) OBJECTION.
40
MULLER SAID THAT WHILE THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT MADE A
DISTINCTION BETWEEN BC AND BDTC PASSPORTS THE FACT WAS NEVER
PUBLICISED AND HOLDERS OF BDTC PASSPORTS COULD EASILY OBTAIN A
VISA TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND. MULLER SAID THAT THIS PRACTICE WOULD
REMAIN UNCHANGED AS FAR AS THE BN (0) PASSPORT WAS CONCERNED. THERE
WAS LITTLE HOPE OF BN (0) PASSPORTS HOLDERS NOT REQUIRING A VISA
TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND. MULLER CONFIRMED THAT ENTRY VISAS WERE ALSO
OBTAINABLE FROM NZ VISA OFFICES IN AUSTRALIA.
CONFIDENTIAL
15
1167