TNAG-1386-FCO40-1834-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 59

GRS 1000

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2790

OF 101055Z DECEMBER 85

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

CONFIDENTIAL

HKM 04014

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

1 1 DEC 1935

DESCOFFICER

INDEX

PA

س

REGISTRY

Acton Taken

GALSWORTHY FROM JEAFFRESON.

TPT: NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL : LEGCO ADJOURNMENT DEBATE :

GRANT OF AUTOMATIC RIGHT TO LAND ENDORSEMENT TO BN (0) PASSPORTS.

UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HAVE URGED STRONGLY DURING THE ADJOURNMENT

DEBATE THAT HMG SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN GIVING HOLDERS OF BN (0)

PASSPORTS VISA-FREE ACCESS TO THIRD COUNTRIES BY ENDORSING BN (0)

PASSPORTS WITH AUTOMATIC PERMISSION TO LAND IN THE UK. THIS PROPOSAL

WAS WIDELY COVERED BY THE PRESS AND WAS IN FACT THE LEAD ITEM IN MANY

REPORTS ON 5 DECEMBER.

2. MR. ALFRED DUBS, MP, WAS REPORTED PY SEVERAL CHINESE NEWSPAPERS TO

HAVE SAID ON DEPARTURE ON 5 DECEMBER THAT THERE WAS NO (NO) REQUIREMENT FOR HONG KONG BDTCS TO HOLD ENTRY CERTIFICATES FOR

VISITING THE UK: THAT HE DID NOT THINK THAT UNOFFICIALS' SUGGESTION FOR A 'NO ENTRY CERTIFICATE REQUIRED ENDORSEMENT FOR BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE: AND THAT HE WOULD WATCH CLOSELY THE ATTITUDE OF UK IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS TOWARDS BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS SO THAT THE LATTER WOULD NOT BE DISCRIMINATED

AGAINST, ESPECIALLY NEARER 1997.

3. JOHN SWAINE WHO PUT THIS IDEA FORWARD IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEPATE FIRST RAISED IT IN HIS SPEECH ON THE GOVERNOR'S LEGCO OPENING

ADDRESS ON 27 NOVEMBER (A COPY OF WHICH HAS BEEN SENT TO YOU BY

FASCIMILE VIA OUR LONDON OFFICE). HE SUGGESTED THEN THAT BN (0)

PASSPORTS SHOULD ON ISSUE BE ENDORSED WITH PERMISSION. TO LAND IN THE UK, WHICH WOULD SECURE FREE ENTRY OF THE HOLDER INTO THE UK, AND OBVIATE THE NEED FOR OBTAINING A CERTIFICATE OF ENTRY BEFOREHAND OR FOR OBTAINING SPECIFIC PERMISSION ON EACH OCCASION OF ENTRY'.

AFTER WE HAD EXPLAINED TO MR. SWAINE THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY WITH THIS PROPOSAL, HE ASKED DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE THAT ANOTHER METHOD BE DEVISED 'WHICH WOULD BE TECHNICALLY ACCEPTABLE AND WHICH WOULD OBVIATE THE PROCEDURES UNDER THE IMMIGRATION RULES BEFORE

LEAVE TO ENTER IS GIVEN'.

4. DURING OUR TWO MEETINGS WITH THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP ON THE NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL BEFORE THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE, WE EXPLAINED TO MEMBERS THAT ENTRY CERTIFICATES ARE OPTIONAL FOR BDTCS VISITING THE UK AND FOR ENTERING AS STUDENTS, AND THAT ENDORSING BN(0) PASSPORTS WITH AUTOMATIC RIGHT TO LAND OR PERMISSION TO ENTER

/WOULD.

CONFIDENTIAL