TNAG-1405-FCO40-1880-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 148

DSR 11C

(b) if the old style stiff, blue cover passport was

still issued to these groups, the vociferous minority

in this country who resent the introduction of the

CFP would ask why they, too, could not continue to

have the old style passport;

(c) there would presumably be a cost penalty in

issuing a style of passport completely different from

the CFP.

3. There is as you know a strong move in the European

Community for the reduction, and if possible, the

eventual abolition of controls at intra-Community

frontiers: a movement the CBI support because of the

implications for completing the common market. As the

Prime Minister pointed out at the Brussels European

Council, total abolition will not be possible because of

the need to control terrorism, drug smuggling etc. We

shall not accept the Commission's proposal that the

presentation of an unopened CFP means that the person

concerned goes unchecked at intra-Community frontiers.

Nothing will change very fast in this field: the

difficulties are formidable as the Benelux, France and

Germany are discovering in their efforts to do away with

It will be 1997 controls at their joint land frontiers.

before the last of the old style passports go out of use.

It nevertheless seems probable that the presentation of

the CFP will be a major element in arrangements which

will progressively reduce the delay and irritation

involved in crossing frontiers within the Community.

14. we