TNAG-1570-FCO40-2136-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 17

GRS 100

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 4053

Confidential

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

WKK 340/1 RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

- 8 USC 1986

(1125)

OF 06014OZ DECEMBER 86

INFO PRIORITY BERNE

124

DESK OFFICER

INDEN

PA

Imek

6/12.

MIPT: NATIONALITY: ACCEPTANCE OF BN (0) PASSPORTS BY SWITZERLAND

DRAFT PRESS RELEASE AS FOLLOWS

THE CONSUL-GENERAL OF SWITZERLAND HAS INFORMED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THAT THE SWISS AUTHORITIES HAVE DECIDED TO RECOGNIZE THE NEW BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) STATUS AND THE PASSPORT THAT GOES WITH IT. THIS IN EFFECT WILL MEAN THAT HOLDERS OF BN (0) PASSPORTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER SWITZERLAND AND WITHOUT VISAS.

2. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WELCOMES THIS RESPONSE FROM SWITZERLAND AND IS CONFIDENT THAT THE NEW PASSPORT WILL BE WIDELY ACCEPTED WHEN IT COMES INTO BEING FROM 1 JULY 1987 ONWARDS.

AKERS-JONES

YYYY

HMLNAN 5725

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/NTD

RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)

DEP HD/PUSD

PS

PS/R RENTON

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR WILSON

MR BARRINGTON

COPIES TO:

THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT 'ADVANCED

MR OSBORNE NEWS DEPT }

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

LEGAL ADVISERS

MR PLANT.

MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD

MR LYON, HOME OFFICE

MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON MF NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE

ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.

MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE

Confidential