TNAG-1408-FCO40-1883-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 50

GRS 300

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2741

OF 05094OZ DECEMBER 85

CONFIDENTIAL

353

TOP COPY

:

•INFO PRIORITY MEXICO CITY, PEKING, HKGO NEW YORK

-35

YOUR TELNO 1735 : HONG KONG BDTCS: VISAS FOR MEXICO.

WE FAVOUR THE APPROACH IN THE FIRST PART OF THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARA. 3 OF TUR, 1.E. TO APPROACH THE MEXICANS TO TRY TO OBTAIN VISA FREE ENTRY FOR HONG KONG BDTCS WITH A FALL BACK POSITION OF

30 DAY VISAS WITHOUT REFERENCE.

2. IN VIEW OF YOUR ASSESSMENT THAT THE MEXICANS' ENFORCEMENT OF A VISA REQUIREMENT WHICH INCLUDED PRIOR REFERENCE TO MEXICO CITY FOR HONG KONG BDTCS IN EARLY 1984 APPEARS TO STEM FROM THEIR CONCERN WITH A POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT INFLUX OF HONG KONG PEOPLE INTO MEXICO PRIOR TO 1997, MEXICO CITY MAY WISH TO RAISE THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS WITH THE MEXICAN AUTHORITIES IN THEIR APPROACH TO THEM

(A) HOW MANY HONG KONG BDTCS HAVE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS ATTEMTPED TO ENTER MEXICO ILLEGALLY OR TO STAY UNDERGROUND AFTER ENTERING LEGALLY AS VISITORS?

(B) HAVE HONG KONG BDTCS CAUSED ANY IMMIGRATION PROBLEM OTHER THAN ILLEGAL ENTRY OR OVERSTAYING, AND IF SO WHAT SORT OF PROBLEMS AND HOW SERIOUS ARE THEY?

(C) SINCE THE REQUIREMENT FOR VISAS WHICH INCLUDES REFERENCE TO MEXICO CITY WAS ENFORCED IN EARLY 1984, HAVE THE AUTHORITIES IN MEXICO CITY UNEARTHED ANY INFORMATION RELATING TO THE APPLICANTS WHICH HAS NOT BEEN OBTAINED IN HONG KONG?

THE ISSUE OF 30

3. IN PRESSING THE CASE FOR VISA ABOLITION (OR DAY VISAS WITHOUT REFERENCE TO MEXICO CITY AS A FALLBACK), WE WOULD BE HAPPY FOR MEXICO CITY TO GIVE TO THE MEXICAN AUTHORITIES

AN UNQUALIFIED GUARANTEE TO TAKE BACK ALL HONG KONG BDTCS HOLDING PASSPORTS DESIGNATED AS SUCH OR AS CUKCS, EVEN AFTER THE EXPIRY OF

THE PASSPORTS. YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT HKK 040/28

•HAK

RECEIVED BR

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

-6 DEC 1985

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

DEP HD/PUSD

HD/PUSD

RES D (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS MR PEIRCE, ABST STAFF

CABINET OFFICE

MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE MR DRC CHRISTOPHER

> CABINET OFFICE

BIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

BIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY PUSD

PS/LADY YOUNG.

CONFIDENTIAL