TNAG-1407-FCO40-1882-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 188

20+

GRS 450

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

CONDENTIAL

TO DESKBY 241300Z FCO

TELNO 2310

OF 3413557 OCTOBER 35

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, OTTAWA.

MIPT :

TOP COPY

Huk 0+0/28. ник

RECEIVER

REGISTRY

2 9 OCT 1985

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

Action laden

м

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : ACCEPTABILITY OF 34(0) PASSPORTS,

1. AS I HAVE RECORDED IN MY L.P. TELEGRAM MEDIA INTEREST IN THE

ACCEPTABILITY OF THE BNO PASSPORT AND THE CONNECTION WITH THE

1.D. CARD IS STILL INTENSE. UNLESS THE WORDING OF THE ENDORSEMENT

IN BN(0) PASSPORTS IS AGREED WITH THE CHINESE AND IT IS EVIDENT

THAT I.D. CARDS WILL REMAIN VALID AFTER 1997, THE DEBATEO IN LEGCO,

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IN PARLIAMENT ON THE ORDER IN COUNCIL COULD

GO SERIOUSLY WRONG. IT COULD WELL BE ASKED HOW MEMBERS COULD COME

TO CONCLUSIONS ON THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS BEFORE THE ANSWERS TO A

NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ISSUES ARE KNOWN: AND UNDERSIRABLE RIDERA COULD

BE ATTACHED TO WHATEVER DEGREE OF APPROVAL IS GIVEN. IF WE ARE TO

AVOID THESE DIFFICULTIES AND MP RENTON IS TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK

CONVINCINGLY AS PROPOSED IN PARA 2 OF MIPT. WE NEED TO DO CUP UTMOST

TO OBTAIN A SATISFACTORY OUTCOME AT THE NEXT JLG MEETING. TO THIS

END | RECOMMEND THAT WHEN THE EMBASSY TAKE ACTION WITH THE MEA EARLY NEXT WEEK, THEY SHOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

(A) EMPHASISE THE IMPORTANCE OF REACHING AGREEMENT ON THIS QUESTION

AT THE JLG MEETING ON 26-29 NOVEMBER.

(3) EXPLAIN THAT THERE WILL BE MAJOR CONCERN IN PARLIAMENT IF THESE QUESTIONS, WHICH ARE CRUCIAL TO THE ACCEPTABILITY OF BN (0) PASSPORTS IN THIRD COUNTRIES, ARE NOT RESOLVED BY THE TIME PARLIAMENT DEBATES THE ORDER IN COUNCIL.

(C) IN ORDER TO HELP ACHIEVE A CATISFACTORY SOLUTION AT THE JLC MEETING, THE TEAM OF EXPERTS WHICH IS TO VISIT PEKING FROM 0-3 NOVEMBER WILL PROVIDE A FULL EXPLANATION OF THE PROPOSED WORDING. WE ARE ALSO PREPARED TO LEAVE SOME MEMBERS OF THE TEAM BEHIND IN PEKING TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM AND TO OFFER ANY ADDITIONAL EXPLANATIONS WHICH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT MAY REQUIRE BEFORE THE

JLG MEETING.

CONFIDENTIAL

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