TNAG-1560-FCO40-2124-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 124

MR LLOYD

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference............................................

255

BN(0)'s REPATRIATION

1. I can see that there is a very strong political case for wanting to make BN(0) passports credible in third countries. If consular protection is to be given it must, I think, include the possibility of repatriation to Hong Kong as a last resort. The total number of repatriates may well be small (as Hong Kong have pointed out in their Telno 2826 of 13 December 1985). Those who refuse to repay and are not bothered about their passport being returned are likely to be smaller still. Mr Jarrold's idea of issuing an emergency, one-journey only document for a repatriate (and impounding his passport) could help to narrow the numbers still further. Nevertheless there is almost certainly going to be a residual number whose repatriation costs will need to be picked up by someone.

2

I think our preference must remain for some undertaking by the Hong Kong SAR Government after 1997 to reimburse HMG. There may well be a reluctance to take this on and indeed there may not be any guarantee that such an undertaking would be honoured, but that does not mean we should not try to negotiate an arrangement. After all, is there any guarantee that the whole Hong Kong package will be honoured? There must be potential handover debts in other areas of activity for which arrangements also need to be negotiated. If this fails or if it is decided not to proceed in this way, then I think Ministers will need to decide whether these repatriation costs should rightly fall on HMG and if so, should be an appropriate charge on the FCO repatriation budget.

5 February 1986

تم ہو کے رہے کریم

J C Harrison

HHH 040/4

RECEIVEI

STAY

17 FEB 1986

INLA

CODE 18-77 AWO Ltd. 7/84

CONFIDENTIAL