TNAG-1569-FCO40-2135-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 19

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Nationality and Treaty Department

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Clive House Petty France London SW1H 9HD

Telephone 01-213 3794

Л

Libr

слаз

1060

Your reference

RM Jackson Esq

HKK 340/1

341/1

Our reference

British Embassy STOCKHOLM

RECE:

GNP 343/32

L NOV 1936

Date

3 November 1986

Year Jackson,

mek,

7/15

HONG KONG: BN (0) S:

FACILITATING TRAVEL TO THIRD COUNTRIES

1. In your letter of 16 October you sought advice on two points which had been raised with the Ambassador by Mr Corell. The answer to the first is that it would not be appropriate for the Chinese Government to issue any statement supporting the arrangements HMG are making for the issue of British passports to British nationals (BN (O)s). Our arrangements are entirely consistent with the agreements we have reached with the Chinese Government over many months. In any case the Chinese Government have already made their position clear in the Sino-British Joint Declaration (Section XIV of Annex I), in the Exchange of Memoranda associated with the Joint Declaration and in the subsequent Exchange of Memoranda of 11 April 1986. Copies of these documents are enclosed and we have no objection to copies being handed to the Swedes when you make the points above.

2. On the second point, Mr Corell appears to be under the impression that passports showing BN (O) status will normally be one-off documents issued only up to 30 June 1997. While BDTCs who wish to acquire BN (0) status must do so and be issued with their first passport in that status before 1 July 1997, they will retain that status for life (unless they renounce it). Further passports will be issued to them in the normal way both before and after 1 July 1997 to replace passports which have expired, have become full, or have been reported lost or stolen. The normal procedures for the replacement of lost or stolen passports will apply. Applications will be dealt with by the nearest passport-issuing post and, where necessary, checks will be made with the post which issued the missing passport before a replacement document is issued. A central register will also be kept of all those who have become BN (0) s and this will remain in British hands after 1997.

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