TNAG-1386-FCO40-1834-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-citizenship-1985 — Page 61

CONFIDENTIAL

(C) THE POLITICAL AND PRESENTATIONAL ADVANTAGES TO BE GAINED FROM

SUCH AN ENDORSEMENT WOULD BE IMMEASURABLE. AS THERE IS A

SUBSTANTIAL BODY OF OPINION HERE, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE EXCO AND

LEGCO, FOR HMG TO RELAX ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR HONG KONG BDTCS BY

'ABOLISHING' ENTRY CERTIFICATES FOR HONG KONG BDTCS VISITING THE

UK, SUCH AN ENDORSEMENT WOULD PROBABLY BE GREETED HERE AS A

POSITIVE RESPONSE TO POPULAR FEELINGS AND A WELCOME MOVE BY HMG

TOWARDS RELAXING ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR HONG KONG BDTCS:

(D) THE OPTIONAL FACILITY FOR GRANTING ENTRY CERTIFICATES TO BDTCS

VISITING THE UK HAS OFTEN BEEN MISINTERPRETED BY THIRD COUNTRIES AS

THE EQUIVALENT OF VISA REQUIREMENT AND HENCE HELD AS THE

JUSTIFICATION FOR REQUIRING VISAS FROM HONG KONG BDTCS. OUR

PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE ENDORSEMENT WOULD PUT PAID TO SUCH MISCONCEPTION

ON THE PART OF THIRD COUNTRIES AND STRENGTHEN OUR OTHERWISE

IMPECCABLE CASE FOR VISA ABOLITION.

7. WE HAVE NOT (NOT) SOUGHT THE ADVICE OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON

THIS SUGGESTION. BUT IF IT WOULD HELP YOU TO HAVE IT AS A FORMAL -

PROPOSAL FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE

WILL TRY TO GET EXECUTIVE COUNCIL'S ADVICE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/NTD

RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)

DEP HD/PUSD

PS

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD

MP HYDE, HOME OFFICE

MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON

MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE

ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.

MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

CONFIDENTIAL