TO
*
see
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED
00 HONG KONG
GRS 793
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 131800 MARCH 81
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 241 OF 13 MARCH
MICK 343/2
GAY NO. 51
2 O MAR 1981
BERK OFCPA
INDEX
مالی
PA
$23.3.
REGISTRY Action Taken
Para2313
AND TO PRIORITY HAMILTON, GRAND CAYMAN, PORT STANLEY, GIBRALTAR,
ST. HELENA
SAVING TO MONTSERRAT, TRISTAN DA CUNHA, ASCENSION, WELLINGTON
(FOR PITCAIRN), BELMOPAN, TORTOLA, GRAND TURK, ANGUILLA
INFO SAVING EEC POSTS
EC COMMON FORMAT PASSPORTS: HONG KONG/DEPENDENT TERRITORY
INTERESTS
1. MINISTERS HAVE ENDORSED EC PROPOSALS FOR A COMMON FORMAT
FOR PASSPORTS OF MEMBER STATES, SUBJECT TO AGREEMENT ON SOME
TECHNICAL DETAILS AND A FLEXIBLE DATE FOR IMPLEMENTATION. FOR
YOUR OWN INFORMATION THIS WILL BE RAISED AT THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS
COUNCIL ON 17 MARCH BUT AGREEMENT IS UNLIKELY TO BE REACHED:
FURTHER DISCUSSION WILL BE NECESSARY AT THE APRIL COUNCIL MEET
ING AND AGREEMENT, AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF IT, IS PROBABLE THEN.
HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE PRESS COMMENT AFTER THE COUNCIL ON 17
MARCH AND PARLIAMENT IS TODAY BEING INFORMED OF PROGRESS.
2. THE TIMING IS NOT IDEAL. COMING IN THE WAKE OF CONTROVERSY
OVER THE NATIONALITY BILL, THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE UK PASS-
PORT MAY BE CONSTRUED, PARTICULARLY IN HONG KONG, AS A FURTHER
STEP IN DISTANCING THE UK FROM ITS DEPENDENCIES. HOWEVER,
DEPENDENT TERRITORY GOVERNMENTS WILL BE AT LIBERTY TO ADOPT
A FORMAT SIMILAR TO THAT OF EC COMMON FORMAT PASSPORT. IF THE SUBJECT IS RAISED AND YOU CONSIDER IT APPROPRIATE, THIS FACT
AND THE GENERAL BACKGROUND TO THE COMMON FORMAT PASSPORT MAY
BE MADE KNOWN TO HONG KONG UNOFFICIALS, AND LOCAL MINISTERS AND
COMMUNITY LEADERS OF OTHER TERRITORIES, BUT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE
AND NOT BEFORE 17 MARCH. PLEASE AVOID ANY COMMENT ON THE LIKELY
TIMING OF PROGRESS IN THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL AS OUTLINED
IN PARAGRAPH 1.
3. THE FOLLOWING POINTS MAY BE MADE:
See (13)
1
CONFIDENTIAL
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