GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
TELNO 3459
OF 200935Z OCTOBER 86
INFO ROUTINE CANBERRA
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
1 1 NOV 1986
OFFICER
REGISTRY
PA
ACDON 12
C
OPY
YOUR TEL 2251: NATIONALITY: INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANGE DE BN (0)
PASSPORTS
AT OUR REQUEST, CONSUL-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA (WENSLEY) CALLED ON SECRETARY FOR SECURITY ON 17 OCTOBER FOR US TO RESPOND TO ANY POINTS SHE MIGHT HAVE ON THE NOTE WE HAD SENT HER ON THE BN (0)
PASSORT. DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION WAS ALSO PRESENT.
2. WENSLEY REPEATED THE FIVE QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE CANBERRA
AUTHORITIES ALREADY GIVEN TO YOU BY BENSON, MINISTER, AUSTRALIAN
HIGH COMMISSION.
3. WE REPLIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DRAFT ANSWERS CONTAINED IN TUR. WENSLEY WAS GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWERS. SHE SAID SHE
WOULD RELAY THEM TO CANBERRA.
4. AS A SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION WENSLEY ASKED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE SIZEABLE NUMBER OF ETHNIC CHINESE WHO HAVE BECOME AUSTRALIAN
CITIZENS BUT WHO APPLIED FOR AND OBTAINED A BN (0) PASSPORT WITH
THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG ENDORSEMENT. THESE PEOPLE MIGHT
PREFER LIVING IN HONG KONG AND USE THE BN (0) PASSPORT AS A MEANS
TO GAIN ENTRY AND TO STAY HERE.
(COMMENT: WENSLEY'S QUESTION WAS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE ANOMALLY THAT AFTER 1997 ETHNIC CHINESE WITH DUAL NATIONALITY MIGHT HAVE
BN(0) PASSPORTS WITH RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENTS WHICH WERE IN FACT
INVALID BECAUSE OF THE PROVISIONS IN THE ANNEX TO THE JOINT
DECLARATION AND BECAUSE CHINA DOES NOT RECOGNISE DUAL NATIONALITY).
WE REPLIED THAT UNDER OUR LAW THOSE ENTITLED TO BN (0) PASSPORTS
COULD GET THEM AND THEY WERE NOT REQUIRED TO REPORT TO US THEIR
OTHER CITIZENSHIPS.
5. WENSLEY EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A LARGE
CONFIDENTIAL
/NUMBER
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