TNAG-1559-FCO40-2123-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 135

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DSR 11C

clear that nothing

less than an

It is

endorsement in the passport will be sufficient to

prevent a confrontation between the Legislative

Council and HMG.

There may be s ome room for

adjustment of the formula of this endorsement, but I

am bound to say that it will not do any good in Hong

Kong unless it mak es it clear that prior entry

clearance is not necessary for bona fide visitors.

been

I

understand that the main

advanced against this kind

that, because it could not be

argument which has

of endorsement

is

removed from the

passport, it would commit future governments not to

introduce a visa or entry certificate requirement for

visitors from Hong Kong. I do not find this argument

convincing. The logical conclusion would be that no

government could ever put any endorsement

passport in case i t made it more difficult for a

future government to change the law or practice: this

would apply equally for instance to right of abode

endorsements.

in a

The imposition of a visa ог entry certificate

requirement for visitors from Hong Kong would be s

difficult enough at any time:

as you know, in response v

to enquiries from MPs about whether visas would be

required, we have told them firmly that BN (O) s would ret

i

be subject to the same rules as BDTCs are subject to

now.

But if there ever were a crisis,

such as

occurred with

the Tamils last year, I do not think

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