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1997 IS A FORMULA WE HAVE, OF COURSE, USED IN OTHER SUBJECT AREAS (EG ASAS). WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSULT THE CHINESE BUT, AS YOU POINT OUT, IF THE VAAS INCLUDE FUTURE HK SAR PASSPORT HOLDERS THERE WOULD BE CONSIDERABLE ADVANTAGE FOR THE CHINESE. ON THE QUESTION OF AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE, WE WOULD HAVE TO ISSUE A SPECIFIC AUTHORISATION FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR AS IN THE CASE OF ASAS. THIS WOULD MIRROR THE PROVISION IN JD168. IF THIRD COUNTRIES QUESTIONED THE VIABILITY OF SUCH VAAS AFTER 1997, WE WOULD, AS YOU SUGGEST, ASK CHINA TO NOTIFY THEM THAT THEY WOULD HONOUR THE COMMITMENTS ENTERED INTO.
5. THERE ARE SOME MINOR CORRECTIONS TO BE MADE TO ANNEX B OF THE PAPER ENCLOSED WITH TANG'S LETTER. THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS VAA'S WITH 40 COUNTRIES: THE ARRANGEMENTS WITH TURKEY, TUNISIA AND MOROCCO HAVE RECENTLY BEEN CANCELLED AND WE CAN FIND NO TRACE OF A UK AGREEMENT WITH IRAN. ALSO, WHILE WE HAVE INFORMAL AND UNOFFICIAL AGREEMENTS TO ABOLISH VISAS WITH BAHRAIN, FRG, QATAR AND BRAZIL, WE HAVE NOT ENTERED INTO FORMAL AGREEMENTS WITH THESE COUNTRIES. YOU SHOULD ALSO ADD THE AGREEMENTS WITH ARGENTINA AND THE GDR (SEE PARA 1 ABOVE).
6.
YOU SHOULD BY NOW HAVE RECEIVED A COMPLETE SET OF UK VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENTS (MR MONTGOMERY'S (MVD) LETTER TO LAWRENCE LEUNG (DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION) OF 7 JUNE REFERS).
7.
THE NEXT STAGE WOULD SEEM TO BE FOR YOU TO DRAFT A PAPER FOR PRESENTATION TO THE CHINESE IN JLG. WE ASSUME YOU HAVE CONSULTED UKREP JLG ON YOUR THINKING SO FAR. WE ARE COPYING TANG'S LETTER OF 21 MAY TO PEKING.
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