XN000022-1985-02-06 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1985

+1 FULLY APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ATTACH TO THE FREEDOM OF TRAVEL, AND I KNOW THAT IT IS

1 AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT FOR HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT. FOR ANY TRAVEL DOCUMENT TO BE ACCEPTABLE IN THIRD COUNTRIES, IT MUST STATE CLEARLY WHERE THE HOLDER HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE, SO THAT HE CAN BE RETURNED THERE IF NECESSARY. NORMALLY THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD AFFAIR. BUT THE FUTURE BN(0) PASSPORT WILL BE A UNIQUE DOCUMENT. ON THE ONE HAND, IT WILL BE A BRITISH PASSPORT ISSUED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. ON THE OTHER HAND, BECAUSE HONG KONG WILL CEASE TO BE A BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY AS FROM 1 JULY 1997, IT WILL NOT BE FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO STATE WHO HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG AFTER THAT DATE.

*BUT A SOLUTION (OR, AT LEAST, THE FRAMEWORK FOR A SOLUTION) ALREADY EXISTS IN SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE SINO-BRITISH

I JOINT DECLARATION. THIS CLEARLY STIPULATES (AND QUOTE) -

'HOLDERS OF PERMANENT IDENTITY CARDS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION MAY HAVE THIS FACT STATED IN THEIR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AS EVIDENCE THAT THE HOLDERS HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.'

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL BE DISCUSSING WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES THE WORDING OF THE STATEMENT TO BE INCLUDED IN BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS. IN DOING SO, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S AIM WILL BE TO ENSURE THAT AN INDIVIDUAL NEED MAKE USE ONLY OF HIS PASSPORT, WITHOUT HAVING TO PRODUCE HIS IDENTITY CARD AT THE SAME TIME, TO SATISFY IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS OF THIRD COUNTRIES THAT HE HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG.

+AT THE SAME TIME, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAVE UNDERTAKEN PUBLICLY AND REPEATEDLY THAT THEY WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO EXPLAIN THE ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING THE ISSUE AND USE OF BN(0) PASSPORTS TO THIRD COUNTRIES. THIS WILL BE DONE AFTER THE ORDER-IN-COUNCIL ON NATIONALITY, WHICH IS FORESHADOWED IN THE HONG KONG BILL, HAS

AND THE BEEN MADE AND BEFORE THE FIRST BN(0) PASSPORT IS ISSUED. AIM WILL BE TO ENSURE THAT FUTURE BN(0) PASSPORTS ARE TAKEN TO BE THE EQUIVALENT OF EXISTING BDTC PASSPORTS FOR THE PURPOSES OF VISA ABOLITION ARRANGEMENTS. GIVEN THAT THERE WILL BE A CLEAR INDICATION AS REGARDS RIGHT OF ABODE. THERE OUGHT TO BE NO REASON FOR THIRD COUNTRIES TO TREAT BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS DIFFERENTLY FROM EXISTING BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS (WHO ARE, OF COURSE, THE SAME PEOPLE).

/+MRS CHOW