countries that the UK did not itself have confidence in the BN (0)
passport. In this situation our task in ensuring acceptability of the
document would be made impossible.
As for the second question, there is no question of barring anyone
from holding a BDTC passport rather than a BN (0) passport if that is
what he wants. We are, however, barring anyone from holding
concurrently both BN (0) and BDTC passports, for the reasons given
above.
Turning to Lord Geddes final point, we and Hong Kong agree that if a
BN (0) passport holder at some stage before July 1997 wishes to hand in
that passport for a BDTC passport it would be appropriate to issue the
BDTC document. If this became a common practice however, it would
present administrative difficulties for the Hong Kong authorities who
will already have their hands full in coping with around 3 1/4 million
applications for the BN (0) passport. We would not wish to do anything
to encourage this.
A draft reply to Lord Geddes is attached.
with FCO.
GP/86 1/6/10
Passport Department
Its terms have been agreed
J F NICHOLSON
January 1986
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