XN000022-1985-02-06 — Page 5

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EDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1985

+MRS CHOW HAS COMMENTED ON THE TIMING OF THE INTRODUCTION OF. THE BN(0) PASSPORT. NO DECISION HAS YET BEEN TAKEN ON THIS. THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS THAT, UNDER THE TERMS OF THE UK MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, BN(0) PASSPORTS MUST BE ISSUED BY 30 JUNE 1997 EXCEPT FOR PRACTICAL REASONS, IN RESPECT OF CHILDREN BORN IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1997. BUT, SO LONG AS THE BN(0) PASSPORT IS UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED IN THIRD COUNTRIES AND I HAVE REFERRED TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SECURE THIS - THERE WOULD SEEM TO BE ADVANTAGE IN INTRODUCING IT EARLIER RATHER THAN LATER TO THOSE WHO WISH TO USE IT. AT THE SAME TIME, GIVEN THAT BDTC STATUS WILL BE RETAINED UP TO 30 JUNE 1997, IT WILL OBVIOUSLY BE POSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO CONTINUE TO TRAVEL ON BDTC PASSPORTS UNTIL THAT DATE TO DO SO. DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS HAVE, HOWEVER, YET TO BE WORKED OUT.

+MRS CHOW HAS ALSO COMMENTED, AND SO TOO HAS MR CHEUNG YAN- LUNG, ON THE SYSTEM OF ENTRY CERTIFICATES FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM. I MUST EMPHASISE THAT ENTRY CERTIFICATES ARE NOT VISAS FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT A HOLDER OF A BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN PASSPORT DOES NOT REQUIRE SUCH AN AUTHORITY TO ENTER THE UNITED KINGDOM, EVEN THOUGH HE IS SUBJECT IMMIGRATION CONTROL. ENTRY CERTIFICATES FOR SINGLE OR MULTIPLE ENTRY ARE DESIGNED SOLELY TO FACILITATE IMMIGRATION CLEARANCE AT UNITED KINGDOM PORTS OF ENTRY, AND BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS WHO CHOOSE NOT TO OBTAIN SUCH ENTRY CERTIFICATES ARE NOT THEREBY DEBARRED FROM ENTRY. IN OTHER WORDS, THE IR USE IS ENTIRELY OPTIONAL. AND THERE IS NO QUESTION OF BDTC PASSPORT-HOLDERS TRAVELLING TO THE UK BEING REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR THEM.

+WHILE STILL ON PASSPORTS AND ASSOCIATED ISSUES, PERHAPS I COULD COMMENT ON SEVERAL POINTS OF DETAIL WHICH MR CHEUNG HAS RAISED.

+THE FIRST CONCERNS THE VALIDITY OF BN(0) PASSPORTS.

PASSPORTS. BRITISH PASSPORTS OF ALL KINDS ARE NORMALLY ISSUED WITH A VALIDITY OF TEN YEARS, I WOULD EXPECT THE SAME TO APPLY TO FUTURE BN(0) PASSPORTS.

+THE SECOND POINT OF DETAIL CONCERNS WHETHER THE RULES REGARDING REGISTRATION OVERSEAS OF BRITISH NATIONALS APPLY ALSO TO BN(0)S. I BELIEVE MR CHEUNG WAS REFERRING TO THE ADVISORY NOTE WHICH APPEARS ON THE INSIDE BACK COVER OF ALL BRITISH PASSPORTS WHICH READS (AND I QUOTE):

'BRITISH NATIONALS RESIDENT OVERSEAS WHO ARE ENTITLED TO THE PROTECTION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AUTHORITIES SHOULD CONTACT THE NEAREST BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION, EMBASSY OR CONSULATE TO ENQUIRE ABOUT ANY ARRANGEMENTS FOR REGISTRATION OF THE IR NAMES AND ADDRESSES. FAILURE TO DO SO MAY IN AN EMERGENCY RESULT IN DIFFICULTY OR DELAY IN ACCORDING THEM ASSISTANCE AND PROTECTION.

THIS ADVICE WILL APPLY TO BN (0)S WHEN THEY ARE IN THIRD COUNTRIES AND, EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO ARE CHINESE NATIONALS, ALSO IN THE FUTURE HONG KONG SAR.

/+FINALLY, MA