CODE 18-77
RESTRICTED
Reference.
Reference: min.NAT.dbj
Mr McLachlin ECDI
Mr Mulcahy MVD
Mir Morris
please
see tel below- agreed
HONG KONG: IMPOSITION OF EC VISA REGIMES
36
By EZA(1) & MVD
r
Авт
22/7.
1. I am faxing to you a draft tel to send to Hong Kong, following on from their telno 1189. This is intended to provide clarification about how Schengen and Maastricht provisions might be expected to translate in terms of visa regimes on Hong Kong BSTCS and BNOS.
2.
Mr Parkinson did brief HKID on all this when he last visited Hong Kong and I understand that MVD has been copying circulars on developments in the EC to HKID. Nevertheless, we should give Hong Kong the factual framework, without at this stage anticipating what we may or may not be able to do to alleviate problems thrown up for Hong Kong British passport holders.
3.
Is it too early to alert EC Posts? Grateful for your advice on whether to copy this tel more widely or at least to UKRep.
4.
Grateful for your comments and clearance by 1645 if possible. I have drawn exclusively on material from MVD sections in square brackets are supposition on my part.
5.
You will have noted (Hong Kong telno 1211) that the Governor has said he may wish to discuss the matter with officials next week (29 and 30 July). I believe that the next step will be for ECD (I), MVD and HKD to get together, (with Legal Advisers?) to talk the broader issues through and decide what recommendations to make to Ministers. Perhaps the trickiest point in Hong Kong 1189 is para 6 asking about the future ability of BDTCs and BNOS to enter the UK visa free. I suggest that I draw up an agenda and circulate it tomorrow, 23 July. Would you be able to meet on 26 July?
6.
I will discuss in more detail with Miss Brooks the points on which we need legal advice.
Mkselves Dros.
Deborah Barnes Jones
Hong Kong Department
WH 312
HKCD 345/3.
R
2 2 JUL 1993
270-2068
22 July 1993
CC:
Miss Brooks, Legal Counsellor Mr Hayward, NTCD
142