TNAG-1405-FCO40-1880-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 21

CODE 18-77 AWO Ltd. 7/84

Mrs J S C Priest

HKD

Reference.......

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194

on paespałe/vira

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fre pre or Дире

2517

VISAS FOR BDTC'S VISITING MEXICO

93

1. Thank you for copying to us your minute of 22 July to Mr Miller MVD, about Hong Kong BDTCS.

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2. You are probably aware that would-be Bermuda visitors to Mexico are experiencing similar problems to those apparently encountered by Mrs Lui and Mrs Yau. The impression of the Bermuda Government, reported informally by the Deputy Governor, is that the Mexican authorities are, as you suggest, concerned at the "returnability" of Hong Kong BDTCs and it is this which is queering the pitch for Bermudian BDTCS.

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3. Bermudians visit Mexico more frequently than any other country apart from the US and Canada: until recently visas have not been required. The Bermuda Government is pressing strongly for arrangements to be made to allow the former easy access to be resumed. An Exchange of Notes has been suggested along the lines of that for the Cayman Islands (see Mexico City telno 6 to Bermuda copy attached). But such an Exchange of Notes would simply make it easier for Bermudians to get visas: it would not do away with the need for visas. I discussed very briefly with Mr Miller the possibility of an Exchange of Notes effectively achieving a Visa Abolition Agreement. This might cover Bermuda, Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands at least (who responded positively to paragraph 4 of Mexico City telno 6 to Hamilton) and probably the other Caribbean dependencies - Montserrat, Anguilla and Turks and Caicos Islands, all of whom have yet to respond to Mexico's telegram. If this were feasible we should probably also consider an Exchange of Notes doubtless with suitably different wording to bring Cayman Islands into this more liberal fold.

I should stress that these are first thoughts only which I suggest that you and WIAD should discuss more fully with Mr Miller.

4.

едв

G D Cole

24 July 1985

CC: Mr Miller, MVD

Miss Veale, NTD Mr Thompson, MCAD

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HKK 040/28.

RECEIVER

REGIST

2 5 JUL 1985

COM