TOP COPY O DIST Bod
К
GRS 200
RESTRICTED
FM PARIS
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 1347
OF 191511Z DECEMBER 85
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
RESTRICTED
ник за RECEIVED - REGISTRY
22 DEC 1986
OFFICER
1091
ка
RY
on Taken
mety i
12
WESTON'S LETTER TO WILSON OF 19 NOVEMBER: FRENCH VISA REQUIREMENT
FOR HONG KONG BDTCS
1. THE QUAH HAVE NOW ASKED US BY NOTE VERBALE (SEE MIFT) WHETHER
THERE HAS BEEN ANY CHANGE IN THE LIST OF BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS
CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROVISIONS OF TREATY OF ROME
SINCE HMG'S DECLARATION OF 22 DECEMBER 1982. HONG KONG BDTCS ARE NOT
INCLUDED IN THAT LIST (BROWN'S (NTD) LETTER GNN 340/1 (40) OF 13
DECEMBER 1982 TO CONSULAR OFFICERS IN EC CAPITALS REFERS.)
2. COMMENT. THE FRENCH SEEM BELATEDLY TO HAVE WOKEN UP TO THE FACT
THAT HONG KONG BDTCS ARE NOT EC NATIONALS''. THEY MAY THEREFORE BE
ASKING THEMSEVES WHY HONG KONG BDTCS SHOULD NOT BE MADE FORMALLY SUBJECT TO THE RECENT FRENCH VISA REQUIREMENT (PARA 3 OF PARIS TEL 1065). WE CAN NO DOUBT TAKE A LITTLE TIME OVER REPLYING TO THE FRENCH NOTE. BUT THE LONGER WE DELAY THE GREATER THE RISK OF THIS SUBJECT GOING OFF THE RAILS AND OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS ARISING AT FRENCH ENTRY POINTS. THIS REINFORCES THE CASE FOR HOLDING TALKS SOON WITH THE FRENCH, AS PROPOSED IN MINISTER'S LETTER UNDER REFERENCE.
3. SEE MIFT.
FRETWELL
YYYY
PCLNAN 6788
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/NTD
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR WILSON
MR BARRINGTON
COPIES TO:
MR OSBORNE
MR FIFOOT,
MR PLANT,
NEWS DEPT LEGAL ADVISERS
LEGAL ADVISERS
MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD
MR LYON, 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
RESTRICTED