CONFIDENTIAL
131372
MDHIAN 5278
PASSPORT WILL NOT BE VALID AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HONG
KONG SAR. PROVISION WAS MADE FOR THE NEW PASSPORT IN THE EXCHANGE OF
MEMORANDA ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOING DECLARATION. ITS INTRODUCTION
FOLLOWED SOME NINE MONTHS OF INTENSIVE DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY BY THE
BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS TO EXPLAIN THE NEW STATUS TO OTHER GOVERNMENTS. THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING, WITH THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THE COUNTRIES TO WHICH HONG KONG PEOPLE TRAVEL
OFTEN HAVING PUBLICLY STATED THAT THEY WILL TREAT THE BN (0) PASSPORT
IN THE SAME WAY AS THEY DO BDTC PASSPORTS: AND THIS INCLUDES THE
CONTINUATION OF VISA FREE ARRANGEMENTS WHERE THESE
EXIST. ΝΟ
GOVERNMENT HAS SAID THAT IT WILL NOT ACCEPT FOR ENTRY TO ITS
TERRITORY TRAVELLERS HOLDING THE BN (0) PASSPORT.
MOST
133. THE FACT THAT NOT EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS ISSUED A
STATEMENT ON THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE PASSPORT IS NOT SIGNIFICANT. ONE
WOULD NOT EXPECT THEM TO DO SO. THE BNCO) PASSPORT IS A BRITISH
PASSPORT ISSUED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE. AS
WITH ANY PASSPORT IT IS ASSUMED THAT OTHER COUNTRIES WILL ACCEPT IT
AS A VALID TRAVEL DOCUMENT. IN THE RARE EVENT THAT THEY DO NOT DO
SO, IT IS FOR THEM TO MAKE THIS CLEAR. I SEE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE USING THE NEW BN (0) PASSPORT BE ABLE TO TRAVEL AS
WIDELY AND EASILY AS THEY DO NOW ON BDTC PASSPORTS.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
145. ANOTHER PROBLEM WHICH REQUIRES CONSTANT ATTENTION IS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. IN JUNE, A SUDDEN INCREASE WAS SPARKED BY BASELESS RUMOURS OF AN AMNESTY. OUR SECURITY FORCES ONCE AGAIN ENSURED THAT
NEARLY ALL OF THE ARRIVALS WERE CAUGHT ON ENTRY AND RETURNED
FORTHWITH. THEY DESERVE OUR CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS FOR THEIR
PROFESSIONALISM AND UNREMITTING EFFORTS. WE BENEFITTED TO FROM GOOD
CO-OPERATION WITH THE GUANGDON AND SHENZHEN AUTHORITIES WHO ALSO
PLAYED A LARGE PART IN STOPPING THE FLOW. IS SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE
IT CLEAR ONCE AGAIN : THERE WILL BE NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
146. TO THE FAMILIAR PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAS, IN RECENT MONTHS, BEEN ADDED THAT OF FORMER VIETNAMESE REFUGEES RESETTLED
IN CHINA WHO HAVE TRIED TO ENTER TO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY. WHILE THEY
ARE WITH US THESE PEOPLE ARE A STRAIN ON OUR RESOURCES IN THE SAME
WASY AS REFUGEES. BUT THEY ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NOT REFUGEES
AND MUST BE TREATED AS SUCH. WITH THE EFFECTIVE AND WELCOME
CO-OPERATION OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO
CONTAIN THE FLOW AND TO RETURN THOSE WHO HAVE ARRIVED TO CHINA AS
SPEEDILY AS POSSIBLE. I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT THIS EXERCISE IS
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