TNAG-1557-FCO40-2121-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 104

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OCMIAN 6084

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00 PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

081600OZ JAN 86

GRS 520

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FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 49

OF 08160OZ JANUARY 86

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

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MIPT

HONG KONG AGREEMENT:

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE

нии осон

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

10 JAN 1986

Y

Aton Taken

NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL:

FOLLOWING IS PASSAGE ON INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTABILITY OF BN(0)

PASSPORTS.

BEGINS.

1.

THE FREEDOM TO TRAVEL IS A MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE

PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THIS IS BORNE OUT BY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE

NATIONALITY ORDER IN HONG KONG, AND MORE PARTICULARLY BY THE DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IN WHICH UNOFFICIALS CALLED ON

HMG TO DO ALL THAT THEY COULD TO ENSURE THAT HOLDERS OF BN(0)

PASSPORTS ENJOY THE SAME STANDING AND VISA-FREE ACCESS TO THIRD

COUNTRIES AS HOLDERS OF BDTC PASSPORTS.

2. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ARE VERY AWARE OF THIS CONCERN AND

WILL DO ALL THAT THEY CAN TO ENSURE THAT BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS

ENJOY THE SAME ACCESS TO OTHER COUNTRIES AS THAT ENJOYED AT

PRESENT BY BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS. THE IMPORTANCE WE ATTACH TO

THIS IS ONE REASON WHY WE ARE INTRODUCING THE NEW STATUS AT SUCH

AN EARLY DATE: IN ORDER TO GIVE IMMIGRATION OFFICERS IN THIRD

COUNTRIES TEN YEARS TO GET USED TO ITS ENDORSEMENT IN PASSPORTS.

3. WE WILL BE MOVING TO EXPLAIN THE NEW STATUS AND NEW PASSPORT

ENDORSEMENTS TO THIRD COUNTRIES ONCE THE ORDER IS IN PLACE AND

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