TNAG-1571-FCO40-2137-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 30

G

ZCZC

LNHPCN 1504

CONFIDENT HAL

TT JAKAR

OCMAN 8241

FM FCOLN TO JAKAR

31142OZ DEC

GRS 510

CONFIDENT PAL

FM FCO

TO TELELETTER JAKARTA

TELELETTER

OF 31142OZ DECEMBER 86

LIKK met 340/1

RECEIVED:

– 8 JAN 1987

ESN OFF.

INDA

SECCRY

Action taken

met/1

FROM M T HILL, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT,

TO M A IVES, JAKARTA

FCO

YOUR TELELETTER 23015OZ DECEMBER TO NTD REFERS: HONG KONG CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY 1.

WE FULLY APPRECIATE THAT MANY COUNTRIES WILL WANT TO KNOW EVENTUALLY WHAT ARRANGEMENTS WE INTEND TO MAKE CONCERNING HONG KONG CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY AS 1997 APPROACHES. AFTER ALL, ABOUT HALF OF THE ETHNIC CHINESE POPULATION OF HONG KONG ARE HOLDERS OR POTENTIAL HOLDERS OF CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY. FOR THAT REASON WE HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING TALKS ON THIS SUBJECT WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP - A BODY WHICH WAS SET UP UNDER THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG TO DISCUSS THE MANY MATTERS THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE 1997. THESE TALKS CAME TO FRUITION ON 27 NOVEMBER 1986 WHEN HMG AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA FORMALLY EXCHANGED MEMORANDA CONFIRMING THE AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO

SIDES ON THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTINUED USE OF HONG KONG CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY AFTER 30 JUNE 1997. YOU WILL SEE FROM THE TEXTS OF THESE MEMORANDA, COPIES OF WHICH I AM SENDING TO YOU BY BAG, THAT THE FUTURE STATUS OF HONG KONG CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER 1997 HAS BEEN RESOLVED AND THAT THE MATTER OF PASSPORTS AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (SAR) OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA HAS BEEN EXPLANNED.

2.

I HOPE YOU WILL FIND THE TEXTS SELF-EXPLANATORY BUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN DUE COURSE IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUERIES. 1: AM ALSO SENDING YOU FOR REFERENCE COPIES OF THE MEMORANDA EXCHANGED WITH THE PRC ON 11 APRIL 1986 (SEE PARA 1 OF UK MEMORANDUM OF 27 NOVEMBER) AND A COPY OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG (SECTION XIV OF ANNEX 1: IS RELEVANT).

3.

FOLLOWS:

(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

4.

MEANWHILE ANSWERS TO YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ARE AS

CIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ISSUED AFTER 1 JULY 1987,

THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GUARANTEE RE-ENTRY TO HONG KONG,

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO ISSUE CHS WITH A TEN YEAR VALIDITY DURING THE PERIOD EXTENDING FROM 1 JULY 1987 TO 30 JUNE 1997. THERE WILL BE CHANGES IN FORMAT TO REMOVE QUOTE COLONIAL UNQUOTE INSIGN-HA. SUCH CIS MAY CONTINUE TO BE USED AFTER 30 JUNE 1997 UNTIL THEIR DUE EXPIRY DATES,

HONG KONG CIS ISSUED BEFORE 1 JULY 1997 MAY CONTINUE TO BE USED UNTIL THEIR DUE EXPIRY DATES. AFTER THAT HOLDERS OF EXPIRED CHS WOULD BE ENTITLED TO EXCHANGE THE EXPIRED DOCUMENT FOR AN SAR TRAVEL DOCUMENT OF SOME SORT. IN ANY EVENT THERE WILL BE NO PROBLEM CONCERNING TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION OR RETURNABILITY TO HONG KONG.

WE WOULD NOT WISH TO MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF THIS BUT IF YOU THOUGHT IT DESIRABLE - AND WE LEAVE IT TO YOU TO DECIDE - WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO YOUR HAND ING COPIES OF THE DOCUMENTS MENTIONED IN PARAS 1 AND 2 ABOVE TO THE INDONESIANS.

SIGNED M T HILL

OCMMAN 8241

NNNN

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