TNAG-1094-FCO40-1344-European-Community-common-format-passports-Hong-Kong-and-Dep-1981 — Page 17

CONFIDENTIAL

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HAS BEEN DONE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO SET A

DATE FOR THE CHANGE IN THE FORMAT OF UK PASSPORTS. DISCUSSIONS

ARE CONTINUING IN BRUSSELS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE

DECISION TAKEN IN PRINCIPLE BY THE RT HON MEMBER FOR HUYTON

AND OTHER HEADS OF GOVERNMENT AT THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL IN

DECEMBER 1974 THAT THERE SHOULD BE A COMMON FORMAT FOR THE

NATIONAL PASSPORTS OF EUROPEAN COMMUNITY MEMBER STATES. THE

SUBJECT WILL BE DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS

COUNCIL ON 16/17 MARCH. THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION IS THAT A

COMMON EC FORMAT SHOULD TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE ICAO RECOMMEND

ATIONS AND THAT WE COULD ONLY INTRODUCE A PASSPORT IN SUCH A

FORMAT AT THE SAME TIME AS WE ADOPTED THE ICAO RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE BELIEVE THIS WILL BRING REAL BENEFITS FOR TRAVELLERS AND

IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES.'

5.

ALTHOUGH, FOR PRESENTATIONAL REASONS VIS A VIS OUR EUROPEAN

PARTNERS, THE PQ WILL NOT REFER TO THE LIKELY SLOW PACE OF

IMPLEMENTATION, YOU MAY USE THE POINT IN PARAGRAPH 3(D) ABOVE

TO WHATEVER ADVANTAGE YOU CONSIDER APPROPRIATE.

CARRINGTON

NNNN

DIST

LIMITED

HKGD

ECD(I)

NTD

SED

WIAD

SAMD

MCD

PS

PS/LPS

PS/MR RIDLEY

PS/MR BLAKER

PS/MR LUCE PS/PUS

SIR E YOUDE

MR DONALD

MR ADAMS

3

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON

CONFIDENTIAL