TNAG-1407-FCO40-1882-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 125

GRS 220

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2427

PORT

·247

CONTIDENTIAL P 040/28

RECER

нак

USTRY

- 6 NOV 1985

INFO PRIORITY CANBERRA

OF 060855Z NOVEMBER 85

201

1:

PARA. 3 OF YOUR TELNO 1636: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED :

ACCEPTABILITY OF BN (0) PASPPORTS: AUSTRALIA.

PA

IN INFORMAL DISCUSSION WITH THE AUSTRALIAN COMMISSIONER AND HIS TWO ASSISTANTS TODAY, THE AUSTRALIAN COMMISSIONER INDICATED. THAT SUBJECT TO A SATISFACTORY RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT IN BN (0) PASSPORTS BEING AGREED BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS, HE COULD SEE NO PROBLEMS OVER HIS GOVERNMENT ACCEPTING THE BN (0) PASSPORT. HIS STAFF ADDED THAT AUSTRALIAN LEGISLATION MADE NO MENTION OF RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT IN TRAVEL DOCUMENTS. ENTRY INTO AUSTRALIA WAS SUBJECT TO ISSUE OF ENTRY PERMITS ON ARRIVAL IN AUSTRALIA. ENTRY PERMITS WERE SUBJECT TO TRAVELLERS MEETING THE USUAL CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND TO THE TRAVELLER'S RETURNABILITY TO HIS PLACE OF RESIDENCE. PROVIDED THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT COULD BE SATISFIED THAT BN (0) PASSPORTS GUARANTEED RETURNABILITY, THE PRECISE WORDING OF THE RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT SHOULD NOT BE IMPORTANT.

2. THE AUSTRALIAN COMMISSIONER ALSO SAID THAT AFTER THE PRCG HAD INDICATED AGREEMENT TO THE RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT IN BN (0) PASSPORT, THE COMMISSION MIGHT BE ABLE TO ISSUE A STATEMENT TO THE EFFECT THAT THE BN (0) PASSPORT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO AUSTRALIA.

3. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY STRESSED THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMISSIONER WERE INFORMAL AND OFF THE RECORD.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH D (FE)

D/HD PUSD

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

MR WILSON

←HD|SPD

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