TNAG-1407-FCO40-1882-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 16

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OF 191620Z NOVEMBER 85

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA, HKGO BRUSSELS

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HKGO BRUSSELS (FOR JONES)

OUR TELNO 1743 TO HONG KONG: VISA ABOLITION FOR HONG KONG BDTCS

VISITING FRG

1.

MR EGGAR RAISED THE ISSUE OF VISA ABOLITION FOR HONG KONG BDTCS WITH DR MEYER-LANDRUT, STATE SECRETARY OF THE AUSWAERTIGES AMT, DURING THE LATTER'S CALL ON MR EGGAR ON 8 NOVEMBER.

2.

IN RESPONSE, DR MEYER-LANDRUT SAID THAT THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR WAS CONCERNED AT THE IMPLICATIONS OF ANY RELAXATION IN THE REGIME FOR AFTER 1997. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT A NEW IDENTITY CARD WAS BEING ISSUED, WHOSE VALIDITY WOULD BE LIMITED UNTIL 1997. HE HOPED IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ABOLISH THE VISA REGIME

FOR THIS CATEGORY OF PEOPLE.

3.

MR EGGAR SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT A NEW SYSTEM, BUT THAT THOSE ENTITLED TO BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZENSHIP WOULD

ESSENTIALLY THE NOW GET A BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT. SAME PEOPLE WERE ENTITLED TO THE SAME DOCUMENT AS AT PRESENT, BUT THAT DOCUMENT WOULD BEAR A DIFFERENT NAME.

TAKE PLACE FOR 2 YEARS YET.

4.

THE CHANGE WOULD NOT

DR MEYER-LANDRUT SAID THAT THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR WAS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE AUSWAERTIGES AMT HAD ASKED THE

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