TNAG-1568-FCO40-2134-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 146

GRS 200

CONFIDENTINAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORNITY FCO

TELNO 2609

OF 1306452 AUGUST 86

*INFO ROUTINE PEKING

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP

HKK 340/1

BN(0) PASSPORTS.

943

YOUR TELNO 1702.

2. WHILST WE APPRECIATE THAT C-SERMES PASSPORTS ARE INDEED ATTRACTIVE AND VALUABLE DOCUMENTS, AT MIS NOT AT ALL CLEAR WHY THOSE TO BE ISSUED *N HONG KONG SHOULD BE ENDORSED WITH SECURITY INK NOT USED ANYWHERE ELSE, AND AT EXTRA COST TO THE HONG KONG TAXPAYER.

3. IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT THE USE OF THIS SPECIAL #NK WOULD REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL FOR LONG. DISCLOSURE WOULD REKONDLE ALL THE OLD

CHARGES OF BAD FANTH ON THE PART OF HMG AND OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST

BRITISH NATIONALS FROM HONG KONG.

4. THE UNDERLYING THRUST OF YOUR TELEGRAM (PARTICULARLY THE PENULTIMATE SENTENCE OF PARA 4 WHICH SUGGESTS THAT BN(0) PASSPORTS ARE TO UNDERGO AN UNUSUAL DEGREE OF SCRUTANY) HIS DISTURBING, AND RUNS CONTRARY TO STATEMENTS MADE BY MANNISTERS THAT VISITORS FROM

HONG KONG ARE WELCOME HIN BRINTAHN, ANY SPECIAL MEASURES DIRECTED AT BN(0) PASSPORTS WOULD HAVE TO BE JUSTIFIED IN TERMS OF THE PRESENT REPEAT PRESENT REQUIREMENT FOR PASSPORT PROTECTION AND NOT REPEAT MOT #N TERMS OF UNSUBSTANTIATED POSSIBLITIES OF FUTURE ABUSE, WE SHOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT SORT OF ABUSE YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT AND THE BASIS FOR THOSE WORRIES.

5. WE FAVOUR A DIFFERENT APPRAOCH WHICH WE BELIEVE WILL PROVIDE EVEN BETTER SECURNITY THÂN THAT YOU PROPOSE, AND WHICH AVOIDS LOCAL POLAMICAL CONTROVERSY. OUR PROPOSAL HS THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE OUR PRESENT PRACTICE, #„E. TO HAVE THE NATIONAL STATUS PRINTED ON TO PAGE 1 OF THE PASSPORT AS PART OF THE PRODUCTION PROCESS IN UK,

6. OUR PREFERENCE HIS TO AVOID RUBBER STAMP ENDORSEMENTS WHEREVER POSSIBLE. THEY ARE GENERALLY LESS SECURE THAN PRINTED ENDORSEMENTS,” MORE COSTLY IN TERMS OF STAFF TIME TO APPLY, AND MAY BE UNCLEAR UNLESS APPLIED WITH CARE. UNFORTUNATELY WE COULD NOT PERSUADE THE CHINESE TO OUR POINT OF VIEW FOR THE RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT, WHICH WILL BE STAMPED. FOR THE REASONS GIVEN ABOVE WE PROPOSE TO HAVE THE VISA/EC ENDORSEMENT PRE-PRINTED.

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17.

GS