TNAG-1407-FCO40-1882-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 110

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FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 1735

OF 07170OZ NOVEMBER 85

INFO MEXICO CITY, PEKING

122

YOUR TELNO 1644 AND OUR TELNO 1031: HONG KONG BDTCS: VISAS FOR

MEXICO

1.

UK/MEXICO VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENT (VAA) OF 1959

SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. HOWEVER MEXICANS

DID NOT BEGIN TO ENFORCE A VISA REQUIREMENT WHICH INCLUDED PRIOR REFERENCE TO MEXICO CITY FOR HONG KONG BDTCS UNTIL EARLY 1984

AFTER BECOMING AWARE THAT BDTCS WERE SUBJECT TO UK IMMIGRATION

CONTROL. APPARENTLY MEXICAN CONCERN STEMMED FROM REALISATION

THAT THE LARGEST VOLUME OF BDTCS SUBJECT TO UK IMMIGRATION CONTROL SEEKING TO ENTER MEXICO WERE FROM HONG KONG AND THAT

MEXICO ALREADY HAD A SIGNIFICANT CHINESE POPULATION MANY WITH

TIES WITH HONG KONG. THIS CONCERN INCREASED DURING THE

SINO-BRITISH NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG KONG.

2.

WE HAD INTENDED TO APPROACH MEXICANS WITH A VIEW TO EXTENDING THE VAA TO COVER ALL BDTCS BUT POST HAVE ADVISED THAT

IN VIEW OF MEXICAN CONCERNS AND REGARDLESS OF ANY ASSURANCES WE WOULD BE ABLE TO OFFER, MEXICAN GOVERNMENT ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE A SIGNIFICANT INFLUX OF HONG KONG

CITIZENS INTO MEXICO PRIOR TO 1997. BECAUSE OF THIS IT MAY BE

THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN VISA FREE ENTRY INTO MEXICO FOR BDTCS

WOULD NOT SUCCEED AND WOULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE. POST HAVE

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