TNAG-1378-FCO40-1826-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-Hong-Kong-Bill-1985 — Page 129

RESTRICTED

3716

1

DD 02010OZ HONG KONG

GRS 288

RESTRICTED

DESKBY 020100Z

FM FCO 011545Z FEB 85

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 208 OF 1 FEBRUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

HONG KONG BILL: PROPOSED AMENDMENT

1.

HKK 040/2

4FCB 1985

MICHAEL MARSHALL MP HAS PUT DOWN THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT TO

THE HONG KONG BILL:

1

BEGINS SCHEDULE, PAGE 2, LINE 18, AT END INSERT AND (C) A

BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZEN MAY HAVE THE OPTION OF BEING

GIVEN A MULTIPLE ACCESS VISA STAMP IN ANY EXISTING BRITISH

DEPENDENT TERRITORY PASSPORT '. ENDS

2. MR MARSHALL SUGGESTED THE USE OF SUCH VISAS IN THE COMMONS

DEBATE ON 5 DECEMBER. HE PROPOSED THEN THAT QUOTE THOSE REGULAR

TRAVELLERS WHO CAN ESTABLISH A BONA FIDE REASON FOR THEIR

REGULAR TRAVEL PATTERNS SHOULD HAVE THEIR PASSPORTS STAMPED WITH

A VISA. THAT WOULD FOLLOW THE AMERICAN PATH WHEREBY, AFTER THE INITIAL VISA IS STAMPED, THE PASSPORT HOLDER CAN, IN DUE TIME, MOVE INTO A HIGHER CATEGORY OF UNLIMITED ACCESS UNQUOTE.

MR MARSHALL SEES TWO ADVANTAGES IN THIS SYSTEM: FIRSTLY, CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES WOULD RELAX THEIR CHECKS ON REGULAR TRAVELLERS FROM HONG KONG. SECONDLY, MR MARSHALL THINKS THAT THE VISA COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE NEW BN (0) PASSPORT ON EXPIRY OF THE BDTC PASSPORT, BY WHICH TIME THE VISA WOULD BE WIDELY RECOGNISED IN THE WORLD AND THUS MAKE THE BN (0) PASSPORT MORE

READILY ACCEPTABLE.

3. WE PROPOSE, SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, AND THOSE OF HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS, TO BRIEF MR LUCE TO RESIST THE AMENDMENT ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:-

BEGINS 'I APPRECIATE THAT MY HON FRIEND IS TRYING TO BE HELPFUL.

BUT BDTCS DO NOT NOW NEED TO OBTAIN VISAS TO ENTER THE UK. I

DO NOT THINK

REQUIREMENT.

THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO INTRODUCE SUCH A

MOREOVER, BDTCS MAY OBTAIN ENTRY CERTIFICATES

1

RESTRICTED

*

122)