TNAG-1570-FCO40-2136-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 8

GRS 230

CONFIDENTIAL

Confidential

HKK 340/ RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

- 8 DEC 1986

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

FM HONG KONG

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 4070

INDRA

OF 080845Z DECEMBER 86

INFO ROUTINE ROME

FICER

PA

REGISTRY

tion Taken

2

NATIONALITY: INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF BN(0) PASSPORTS

AT OUR REQUEST, THE CONSUL-GENERAL OF ITALY (MENEGATTI) CALLED ON THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY ON 4 DECEMBER TO RESPOND TO ANY POINTS HE MIGHT HAVE ON THE NOTE WE HAD SENT HIM ON THE BN(0) STATUS

AND THE PASSPORT THAT GOES WITH IT.

2.

MENEGATTI SAID THAT AFTER PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION WITH S FOR S

ON THE NEW EN(0) STATUS SOME SIX MONTHS AGO HE HAD ALREADY RECOMMENDED TO ROME THAT THE BN(0) PASSPORT SHOULD BE GIVEN THE SAME ACCEPTANCE AS THE BDTC PASSPORT. HE DID NOT ASK ROME TO

REACT THEN BUT HE WOULD NOW REPEAT THE SAME RECOMMENDATION TO

HIS GOVERNMENT.

3. AS REGARDS VISA-FREE ARRANGEMENTS MENEGATTI WAS OF THE OPINION

THAT THE SAME VISA-FREE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HK BDTC PASSPORTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO APPLY TO BN (0) PASSPORTS. HE DID NOT EXPECT REACTION

FROM ROME TO BE NEGATIVE.

4。

MENEGATTI ALSO MADE THE POINT THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF SAMPLES OF THE NEW BN(0) PASSPORTS COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO HIM

SO THAT IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS IN ITALY COULD LEARN TO RECOGNIZE

THEM.

WE PROMISED TO LET MENEGATTI HAVE SAMPLE COPIES AS SOON AS

THEY BECAME AVAILABLE.

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