XN000022-1993-04-28 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1993

BRITISH

"A PHASED PROGRAMME WILL NOT DEPRIVE TERRITORIES CITIZENS OF ANY OF THEIR RIGHTS, HE ADDED.

DEPENDENT

MR ASPREY SAID THEY WOULD RETAIN BDTC STATUS AND ALL THE RIGHTS OF THAT STATUS UNTIL JUNE 30, 1997.

IT IS IN PRACTICE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ΤΟ REGISTER AND ISSUE NEW PASSPORTS TO ALL OR MOST BDTCS WHO ARE LIKELY TO WISH TO RETAIN BN(0) CITIZENSHIP AFTER JUNE 30, 1997, UNLESS ΤΗΛΤ IS DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH A PHASED PROGRAMME OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS, HE SAID.

"IT IS THE FAIREST WAY OF GUARANTEEING THAT ANYONE WHO WANTS TO OBTAIN A BN (0) PASSPORT WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO SO, BEFORE JUNE 30, 1997,"

HE

SAID A NUMBER OF OTHER OPTIONS HAD BEEN CONSIDERED BEFORE DECIDING TO ADOPT THE PHASED PROGRAMME.

THE MEASURES OF INTENSIFYING PUBLICITY AND SETTING UP SPECIAL CONVERSION CENTRES WOULD NOT BE EFFECTIVE.

THIS IS BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME TWO AND A HALF MILLION PERSONS WHO EITHER HAVE PASSPORTS THAT EXPIRE ON OR VERY NEAR TO JUNE 30, 1997 OR WHO HAVE NO PASSPORTS AT ALL AT PRESENT.

MR ASPREY SAID THE MEASURE OF DIFFERENTIAL FEES ALSO WOULD HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON THE GREAT MAJORITY WHO DID NOT NEED TO OBTAIN OR RENEW THEIR PASSPORTS UNTIL CLOSE TO JUNE 30, 1997.

"WE CONSIDERED SEPARATING THE REGISTRATION FROM THE ISSUING

PASSPORTS.

OF

"HOWEVER, THIS 13 NOT POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM HAS LINKED THE RETENTION OF BN(0) STATUS AFTER JUNE 30, 1997 TO THE HOLDING OF A BN(0) PASSPORT ON THAT DATE, HE SAID.

ALL BN (0)S, THEREFORE MUST HOLD OR BE INCLUDED PASSPORT ISSUED BEFORE THAT DATE.

IN A BN (0)

MR ASPREY SAID SEPARATING REGISTRATION FROM ISSUING A PASSPORT WOULD GIVE RISE TO SEVERE PRACTICAL AND LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS.

"WE ALSO CONSIDERED ALLOWING BOTH THE BDTC AND THE BN (0) PASSPORTS TO BE HELD SIMULTANEOUSLY,

"HOWEVER, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL NOT AGREE TO THIS ON SECURITY GROUNDS," MR ASPREY SAID.

DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF PASSPORTS IN CIRCULATION WOULD GIVE RISE TO A MUCH GREATER CHANCE OF THEFT, FORGERY, TAMPERING AND OTHER ABUSES.

ANY

WOULD

COULD

INADVERTENT USE OF THE NOT-YET-VALID BN(0) PASSPORT ALSO CONFUSE IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND AFFECT THE STATUS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE BN(0) PASSPORT, HE SAID.

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