TNAG-1570-FCO40-2136-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 10

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16 DEC 1986

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CONFIDENTIAL ·

FM HONG KONG

TO ROUTINE FCO

WKCK BAC

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& DEC 1986

TELNO 4069

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NATIONALITY: INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF BN(0) PASSPORTS.

AT SECRETARY FOR SECURITY'S REQUEST, CONSUL-GENERAL OF PORTUGAL (LORENA) CALLED ON 4 DECEMBER TO RESPOND TO THE NOTE WE HAD SENT HIM ON THE BN (0) STATUS AND THE PASSPORT THAT GOES WITH IT.

2. LORENA SAID HE WAS PERSONALLY CONFIDENT THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WOULD RECOGNISE THE BN (0) STATUS AND PASSPORT. HIS CONSULATE WAS ADVISING BDTC PASSPORT HOLDERS THAT THEY DID NOT (NOT) REQUIRE A VISA TO VISIT PORTUGAL AND THEY SEEMED TO HAVE NO PROBLEMS ENTER ING THE COUNTRY. BUT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PORTUGESE CONSULATE IN LONDON WAS ADVISING HK BDTC WHO MADE INQUIRIES THERE THAT THEY REQUIRED A VISA TO VISIT PORTUGAL. HE HAD WRITTEN TO HIS FMA TO SEEK CLARIFICATION BUT HAD RECEIVED NO REPLY YET. HE PERSONALLY DID NOT SEE WHY BDTCS SHOULD REQUIRE A VISA AND HE WAS IN FAVOUR OF ALLOWING BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS VISA-FREE ENTRY.

3. S FOR S STRESSED THAT THE BN(0) PASSPORT SHOULD NOT BE REGARDED AS A LESSER TRAVEL DOCUMENT AND SHOULD BE ACCORDED THE SAME CONVENIENCES AS THE BDTC PASSPORT. LORENA REPEATED THAT HE WOULD BE RECOMMENDING ACCEPTANCE OF THE BN (0) PASSPORT AND THE SAME VISA-FREE ARRANGEMENT TO HIS GOVERNMENT.

4. S FOR S ALSO ASKED LORENA TO CONSIDER MAKING A PUBLIC STATEMENT ONCE HIS GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED TO ACCEPT THE BN (0) PASSPORT. LORENA RESPONDED POSITIVELY.

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