TNAG-1557-FCO40-2121-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 159

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GOVERNMENT.

27.

ONE ISSUE WHICH HAS BEEN OF PARTICULAR CONCERN IS THE RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT TO BE PLACED IN BN(0) PASSPORTS. THIS NEEDS TO BE AGREED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THE UK GOVERNMENT CANNOT GIVE SUCH A RIGHT IN THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AFTER 1 JULY 1997. WE HAVE THEREFORE DISCUSSED THIS MATTER

WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. THEY HAVE AGREED IN PRINCIPLE THAT THE WORDING OF THE ENDORSEMENT SHOULD BE

AS FOLLOWS:

THE HOLDER OF THIS PASSPORT HAS HONG KONG PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD NO. (THE NUMBER WILL BE ENTERED) WHICH

STATES THAT THE HOLDER HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG

KONG.'

THE CHINESE HAVE ALSO AGREED IN PRINCIPLE THAT IN THIS CONTEXT HONG KONG WILL MEAN HONG KONG BEFORE 1997, AND THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AFTER 1997. WE EXPECT TO REACH FORMAL AGREEMENT ON THIS AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS AT THE NEXT

MEETING OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP IN MARCH.

28.

THE WORDING OF THIS ENDORSEMENT IS IN LINE WITH SECTION

XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT IS A CLEAR AND

UNEQUIVOCAL STATEMENT. THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVE IT WILL ENSURE THAT BN (0)S WILL NOT NEED TO CARRY THEIR IDENTITY CARDS WITH THEM WHEN THEY TRAVEL, THAT IT WILL EFFECTIVELY GUARANTEE THAT BN (0)S WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN TO HONG KONG, AND THAT IT WILL THEREFORE BE SATISFACTORY TO IMMIGRATION OFFICERS IN THIRD COUNTRIES. CERTAINLY THE INITIAL REACTION HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING. THERE HAVE BEEN

HELPFUL RESPONSES FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA AND THE

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT.

THE GOVERNMENT WILL EMBARK ON A ROUND OF EXPLANATIONS ONCE THE ORDER

IN COUNCIL IS PASSED AND BEFORE THE NEW PASSPORT IS INTRODUCED

IN 1987 TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF DIFFICULTY FOR TRAVELLERS

USING IT.

THERE HAVE BEEN HELPFUL RESPONSES FROM THE UNITED STATES,

AUSTRALIA AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT.

ENDS.

REMAINDER OF TEXT FOLLOWS IN MIFT.

HOWE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/NTD

RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)

DEP HD/PUSD

PS

PS/R RENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING MR WILSON

- COPIES TO:

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT. LEGAL ADVISERS

MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD

MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE

MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON

MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE

ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.

MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE

MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

CONFIDENTIAL