TNAG-1407-FCO40-1882-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 115

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ZCZC

LNBPAN 1873 OCMIAN 3588 CONFIDENTIAL

TT BONNN

FM FCOLN TO BONNN

06120OZ NOV GRS 410

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO TELELETTER BONN

TELELETTER

OF 0612OOZ NOVEMBER 85

FROM C E LEEKS, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT, FCO

TO DE LYSCOM ESQ, BRITISH EMBASSY, BONN

OUR REF: HKK 040/28

OUR TELNO 579 AND TODAY'S TELECON LYSCOM/LEEKS: FOR HONG KONG BDTCS VISITING FRG

1.

VISA ABOLITION

AS REQUESTD, TEXT OF LORD PRIVY SEAL'S LETTER TO FRAU DR HAMM-BRUECHER DATED 29 JANUARY 1982 16 AS FOLLOWS:

BEGINS.

DEAR FRAU HAMM-BRUECHER

H: SHOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT A MATTER WHICH IS CAUSING SOME CONCERN IN HONG KONG AND WHICH WAS RAISED WITH ME WHEN WAS THERE RECENTLY.

THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC IS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY WHICH REQUIRES VISAS FOR VISITORS FROM HONG KONG. WHEN THIS WAS LAST RAISED WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT BY OUR EMBASSY IN BONN IN APRIL 1980, WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE COULD BE NO CHANGE UNLESS HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AGREED TO ADMIT ALL HONG KONG BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS TO THE UK SHOULD THEIR DEPORTATION FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC BECOME NECESSARY. WE EXPLAINED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WERE QUITE PREPARED TO GUARANTEE TO TAKE ALL SUCH PEOPLE BACK DIRECT TO HONG KONG. HOWEVER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE TO YOUR GOVERNMENT AS THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE IN THE EYES OF THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR BETWEEN GUARANTEES OF READMISSION GIVEN BY HMG AND BY HONG KONG.

THINK THAT THERE MUST BE A MISUNDERSTANDING HERE. THERE IS NO REASON FOR A GUARANTEE FROM HONG KONG TO BE GIVEN ANY LESS WEIGHT. SHOULD STRESS THAT IT MAY BE TAKEN AS A VALID ASSURANCE THAT THE PERSON IN QUESTION WILL BE RECEIVED BACK IN HONG KONG AND WILL NOT BE A BURDEN ON THE FRG.

OTHER COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD INCLUDING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ACCEPT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S GUARANTEE AND I AM NOT AWARE OF THEIR HAVING HAD ANY DIFFICULTIES OVER T. THERE ARE DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC TO HONG KONG AND THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEMS IN ARRANGING SUCH DEPORTATIONS. THE ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE TO DEPORT HONG KONG PASSPORT HOLDERS TO THE UK INITIALLY BUT THIS WOULD BE ADMINISTRATIVELY VERY COMPLICATED AND EXPENSIVE INVOLVING AS IT WOULD TWO SEPARATE FLIGHTS AND DETENTION IN THIS COUNTRY.

AGAIN.

SHOULD BE GRATEFUL HF YOU COULD HAVE THIS LOOKED AT BELIEVE THAT THERE IS CONSIDERABLE MUTUAL VALUE IN CONTACTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE FRG. HOPE THAT EVERYTHING POSSIBLE CAN BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE THEM.

ENDS.

WITH VERY GOOD WISHES.

YOURS SINCERELY

HUMPHREY ATKINS

SIGNED C E LEEKS

OCMAN 3588

NNNN

HKM 040/28

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

8 NOV 1985

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken