TNAG-1569-FCO40-2135-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 45

CATAGR

CONFIDENTIAL

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

Telephone 01-

233 8768

Mr LS Lee

Principal Assistant Secretary

Security Branch

Government Secretariat

HONG KONG

RECEIVED REGISTRY

Your reference

Our reference

file.

Date

24 October 1986

HKK 310/1

14 NOV 1986

1.

INDLA

Y

PA

Action taken

CAG

Dear Mr. Lee,

BN (0):

1.

Mek X12

FACILITATING TRAVEL TO THIRD COUNTRIES

We are beginning to get preliminary reactions to our recent approaches in capitals on this subject. I enclose for your information copies of all the letters and telegrams (some of which you may already have) we have so far received from posts. I will send you further reports in batches as we get them. The reports

receive from

posts will eventually

the form

basis parliamentary statement of some kind (and perhaps a statement here

will need carefully drafted and agreed between us it is important that you and we should be working on the same raw material!

we

2.

or

in Hong Kong).

As this

for a public

to

be

I should draw your particular attention to the letter from Prague, which asks for a defensive line on your visa policy for Soviet and East European passport holders. Not surprisingly, Prague consider it unlikely that the Czechs will be willing to say anything publicly supportive unless there is some prospect of relaxation of your own policy. So far as we are aware from recent correspondence between the Department and

the Department and the Political Adviser, you do not envisage any changes for the time being. It may be, therefore, that we simply have to accept

accept that public support is most unlikely to be forthcoming from Czechoslovakia and other Eastern European countries. But we feel that would not matter greatly, as we doubt whether that many Hong Kong residents travel to those countries. But it would be helpful if you could send us You (by telegram) a suitable defensive line for Prague to use. will notice that they are delaying taking action until they have

one.

3.

We

the

for are grateful

your telegraphic reports of Secretary for Security's meetings with selected consular representatives. Clearly the exercise in capitals and in Hong Kong is going to spread over a period of some weeks. We think it is important that in all our dealings with third countries we should stick to a consistent line in explanation of BN (O) status. We will continue to draw on the material which was enclosed with the circular letter of 23 September from the Head of Nationality and Treaty Department, which was copied to you. We imagine you

will do the same.

CONFIDENTIAL

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