TNAG-1408-FCO40-1883-Future-of-Hong-Kong-passports-and-visas-1985 — Page 68

CODE 18-77 AWO Ltd. 7/84

Miss Veale, NTD

Mr Hill, Hong Kong Dept

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference.....

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Miss Kaye, Consular Dept)

Mr McDougall, MVD

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Mr Minter, Finance Dept

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MN 28/11

Separate copies (for information)

BN (0) PASSPORTS FOR HONG KONG: COSTS

1.

A meeting of the recipients of this minute was held in NTD on 25 November as arranged to discuss the principles of BN (0) passport costs, based on the minutes of 15 November by Miss Veale and myself.

2.

Mr Minter thought that these now provided Finance Department with a sufficiently good basis for putting to the Treasury the proposal that the Hong Kong Government retain receipts from the issue of BN (0) passports rather than submit them to the Exchequer. It was agreed that, in writing to the Treasury, reference should be made to the possible political implications of not allowing Hong Kong to do this; this reference would make use of some of the material provided by Hong Kong Department in the draft paragraph handed out by Mr Hill. The meeting did not think it appropriate to clear the draft letter with the Hong Kong Government in advance, or even to inform them at this stage of our intentions/arguments. Finance Department will be circulating their draft to interested FCO departments

27 November 1985

HD Marcelin

Nationality & Treaty Department (213 4005 CL511)

CONFIDENTIAL

HHH 04028

RECEIVED AE

'STRY

2 9 NOV 1985

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