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DFB Le Breton Esq CBE
NTD
FCO
Copy's HKD MUD WED
FED
BRITISH EMBASSY COPENHAGEN
8 October 1986
Mr Kaye
هر
1002
مته
Dear Le Breken,
:
HONG KONG BRITISH NATIONALS (OVERSEAS) FACILITATING TRAVEL TO THIRD COUNTRIES
1. Please refer to your letter of 23 September to Heads of Mission about the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order of 1986.
2. As instructed, I called on 7 October on Thomas Rechnagel, the Under Secretary in charge of the Political Department in the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (I chose to speak to the political, rather than the legal, side of the MFA in order to emphasise the importance we attached to the issue.) I left with Rechnagel a note based on that sent to diplomatic missions in London on 30 September. I also left with him a paper drawn from the annex to your letter. In speaking to Rechnagel I emphasised our wish to ensure a successful implementation of the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong and the consequent need for those in Hong Kong to have confidence in the future, including their ability to travel freely. Rechnagel took the point. I also reinforced the message about the fact that any individuals who would lose the right of abode in Hong Kong after 30 June 1997 would be, under the provision of the Joint Declaration, only individuals who had the right of abode elsewhere. I also took him through the point that since first time British National (Overseas) passports could be obtained only before 1 July 1997 this would exclude the possibility of mainland Chinese obtaining them in Hong Kong after that date.
3. I told Rechnagel that there was a great deal of political interest in this whole subject in the UK. I suggested that it would be extremely helpful if the Danish government felt able to issue any statement of support for the proposed British National (Overseas) passport, citing the statements made by the USA, Australia and Japan.
Rechnagel
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/said
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