TNAG-0280-FCO40-316-Visit-of-Parliamentary-under-Secretary-of-Foreign-and-Common-1970 — Page 72

CONFIDENTIAL

are generally subject to United Kingdom immigration

controls, since the passing of the Commonwealth

Immigrants Act of 1968, they can no longer be automatically

sent to the United Kingdom by the German authorities if

any problem arises over their admission to or stay in

Germany. In view of this, the present policy of the

Federal German authorities is that all persons belonging

to British dependent territories and travelling on

passports issued in those territories are subject to the

German visa requirements. This is because the Germans

consider that they will be confronted with fewer problems

if they exercise control over Colonial belongers through

their normal visa system. This is a matter which affects

all British dependent territories and not only Hong Kong.

10. Despite their attitude as described above, the

Germans welcome any gesture by our overseas dependent

territories as regards a unilateral concession of visa

waiver in respect of German nationals wishing to visit

such territories. The Hong Kong authorities have, in

fact, allowed such a concession to enable German nationals

to visit the Colony for a stay of up to one month and

they would like the Germans to afford reciprocal facilities

for Hong Kong passport holders visiting the Federal German

Republic.

11. It is understood that the Hong Kong authorities are

taking up the matter in an informal way with the German

Consul-General in Hong Kong to ascertain whether it would

be worthwhile to re-open negotiations with a view to

/obtaining.................

-4- CONFIDENTIAL