TNAG-1407-FCO40-1882-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 90

ZCZC

HMLNAN 3381

CONFIDENTIAL

PP PEKIN

FM HOKON TO PEKIN

11053OZ NOV

GRS 250

ник оторв

INDEX

11/07164

HKD

278

NO DISTRIBUTION

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY PEKING

TELNO 1097

OF 11053OZ NOVEMBER 85

201

PARA 3 OF FCO TELNO 1636: HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED : ACCEPTABILITY OF BN (0) PASSPORTS.

MY TELNO 2426-9, 2449-51 TO FCO WHICH CONTAIN RECORDS OF INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY AND SELECTED CONSUL-GENERALS/COMMISSIONERS ARE REPEATED TO YOU FOR INFORMATION.

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2427

OF 060855Z NOVEMBER 85

INFO PRIORITY CANBERRA

PARA. 3 OF YOUR TELNO 1636: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED : ACCEPTABILITY OF BN (0) PASPPORTS: AUSTRALIA.

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, TTHE 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

YYYY

HMLNAN 3381

NNNN

Page 90Page 91

GRS 300 CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY PEKING

TELNO 1096

OF 11053OZ NOVEMBER 85,