TNAG-1408-FCO40-1883-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 18

い

GRS 300 CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2826

CONFIDENTIAL

372

TOP COPY

LIKK 040/7003

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

16 DEC 1985

OF 13101OZ DECEMBER 85

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

DESK OFFICER INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

и

333

YOUR TELNO 848 HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY: REPATRIATION

OF BN (0)S.

WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE VIEW YOU EXPRESSED IN PARA. 2(B) OF TUR THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO OBTAIN A GUARANTEE OF REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE

HK SAR GOVERNMENT BEFORE YOU COULD AGREE TO REPATRIATE A BN (0) TO HONG KONG AFTER 1 JULY 1997. OUR CONCLUSION IS THAT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT IS WELL ACCEPTED AS PART OF CONSULAR PROTECTION, THE

HK SAR GOVERNMENT WILL VIEW REPATRIATION OF HOLDERS OF BRITISH

PASSPORTS AS A CLEAR BRITISH RESPONSIBILITY (WE WOULD BE INTERESTED

TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IF A BOC RESIDENT IN SAY KENYA REQUESTS

REPATRIATION AT HMG'S EXPENSE TO KENYA: AND WE NOTE FROM YOUR

RECENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CANADIANS ON THE ENTRY OF BOCS TO CANADA

AS VISITORS THAT YOU HAVE AGREED TO TAKE BACK BOCS IN POSSESSION OF

VISITOR VISAS ISSUED BY CANADA IF THEY PROVED TO BE INADMISSIBLE

TO OTHER COUNTRIES). IN ANY CASE FOR YOU TO INSIST THAT YOU WOULD

REQUIRE SUCH A GUARANTEE WOULD VIPTUALLY SAROTAGE BM(0) PASSPORTS

AS FAR AS THIRD COUNTRIES ARE CONCERNED AND WOULD BE ENTIRELY

UNACCEPTABLE HERE.

2. WE DO NOT (NOT) THINK THAT EXPENDITURE ON REPATRIATION WOULD

IN PRACTICE PRESENT YOU WITH A PROBLEM. DIPLOMATIC SERVICE

PROCEDURES CLEARLY PROVIDE THAT EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS ON

REPATRIATION SHOULD BE AUTHORISED ONLY AS A LAST RESORT, AND AGAINST AN UNDERTAKING TO REPAY. ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT HAVE ANY STATISTICS

ON HK BDTCS REPATRIATED AT PUBLIC EXPENSE, THE NUMBERS ARE SMALL AND MOST PEOPLE REPATRIATED AT PUBLIC EXPENSE REIMBURSE THE COSTS

OF THEIR REPATRIATION. IF ANY BN (0)S FAIL TO PEPAY, YOU HAVE AN

EFFECTIVE SANCTION AGAINST THEM THROUGH IMPOUNDING THEIR BRITISH PASSPORTS, PESTRICTING THE VALIDITY OF THEIR PASSPORTS OR DECLINING TO ISSUE THEM WITH BRITISH PASSPORTS.

CONFIDENTIAL

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