TNAG-1405-FCO40-1880-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 131

CONFIDENTIAL

47

布政司署

香港下亞厘畢道

DIEW

FLADIMON

* OUR REF.:

SCR 8/2091/83--

НКК 070128

來函檔號 YOUR REF.:

1 1 MAY 1985

A. J. Cambridge Esq,

DRO

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

Sparten Tiller, MUD. Dept we counding

tactics ve Danes. will

کہ

comult us before

or replying truck.

need t

approaching them &

23 April, 1985 Aware

ma keeks

puola Aha!

ca 105

with this! Could

HKD's support. of you

to Mar Capple.dge-away

agree

✪

Migration & Visa Dept.,

aloo

agree,

FCO

Dear Alan,

Hong Kong Passport Holders:

Baget moth

المسار

UK

35

Visas for Denmark

Please refer to Conyard's letter GVV HK/349/1 of 29 September 1983, to Lovelock's (Copenhagen) letter of 10 October to Conyard and to FCO telno Visa 116 of 23 March 1984.

2.

We ought to have noticed earlier that this matter has languished for rather a long time. As you will remember from your visit to Hong Kong, the question of the introduction by third countries of additional visa restrictions on Hong Kong BDTCs as a result of the British Nationality Act is an extremely sensitive one. Ministers have given public assurances in the course of the debate on the BNA that every effort would be made by HMG to persuade countries disposed to introduce such restrictions to remove them, since the changes introduced by the BNA provide no justification for the introduction of additional restrictions on Hong Kong BDTCs. The sensitivity of this issue is increased by the relatively disappointing provisions of the agreement on Hong Kong's future in respect of nationality, and the uncertainties which surround the acceptability of British National Overseas passports. Again HMG has pledged publicly, and at the highest possible level, all efforts to secure the international acceptability of these new documents.

3.

It is therefore very important, in the wider context of maintaining confidence in Hong Kong and confidence in HMG's commitment to Hong Kong in the remaining years of British Administration, that these pledges should be fulfilled. It would be very helpful if early action could be taken with the Danes. (I understand that the dispute with the French on no-passport excursions has been resolved, so there no longer appears to be any reason to hold off.) In any case, it will be difficult for us to justify to the public in Hong Kong continuing inaction because of an apparently unconnected dispute.

/4.