TNAG-1571-FCO40-2137-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 63

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CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

WKK 340/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

23 DEC 1986

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OF 22085OZ DECEMBER 86

INFO ROUTINE WELLINGTON

FA

STRY

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NATIONALITY : INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF BN (0) PASSPORTS

AT OUR REQUEST, CONSUL-GENERAL OF NEW ZEALAND (MULLER) MET

WITH S FOR S ON 18 DECEMBER TO DISCUSS THE NOTE WE SENT HIM ON

THE BN (0) STATUS AND PASSPORT.

2.

MULLER SAID THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WOULD SOON RESPOND TO THE

APPROACH MADE BY FCO ON THIS MATTER. HE DID NOT (NOT) SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE BN (0) STATUS AND PASSPORT BEING ACCEPTED. HE SAID

THAT HIS GOVERNMENT DID NOT REGARD RECOGNISING THE NEW STATUS

AND PASSPORT AS A MAJOR ISSUE.

3. IN RESPONSE TO S FOR S'S INQUIRY ON WHETHER THERE WOULD BE

ANY OBJECTION TO HONG KONG MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW ZEALAND'S

RECOGNITION MULLER SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THIS WOULD BE USEFUL FOR

HONG KONG AND WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE NO (NO) OBJECTION.

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MULLER SAID THAT WHILE THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT MADE A

DISTINCTION BETWEEN BC AND BDTC PASSPORTS THE FACT WAS NEVER

PUBLICISED AND HOLDERS OF BDTC PASSPORTS COULD EASILY OBTAIN A

VISA TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND. MULLER SAID THAT THIS PRACTICE WOULD

REMAIN UNCHANGED AS FAR AS THE BN (0) PASSPORT WAS CONCERNED. THERE

WAS LITTLE HOPE OF BN (0) PASSPORTS HOLDERS NOT REQUIRING A VISA

TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND. MULLER CONFIRMED THAT ENTRY VISAS WERE ALSO

OBTAINABLE FROM NZ VISA OFFICES IN AUSTRALIA.

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