TNAG-1571-FCO40-2137-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 70

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GRS 200

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FM PARIS

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 1347

OF 191511Z DECEMBER 85

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG

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ник за RECEIVED - REGISTRY

22 DEC 1986

OFFICER

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WESTON'S LETTER TO WILSON OF 19 NOVEMBER: FRENCH VISA REQUIREMENT

FOR HONG KONG BDTCS

1. THE QUAH HAVE NOW ASKED US BY NOTE VERBALE (SEE MIFT) WHETHER

THERE HAS BEEN ANY CHANGE IN THE LIST OF BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS

CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROVISIONS OF TREATY OF ROME

SINCE HMG'S DECLARATION OF 22 DECEMBER 1982. HONG KONG BDTCS ARE NOT

INCLUDED IN THAT LIST (BROWN'S (NTD) LETTER GNN 340/1 (40) OF 13

DECEMBER 1982 TO CONSULAR OFFICERS IN EC CAPITALS REFERS.)

2. COMMENT. THE FRENCH SEEM BELATEDLY TO HAVE WOKEN UP TO THE FACT

THAT HONG KONG BDTCS ARE NOT EC NATIONALS''. THEY MAY THEREFORE BE

ASKING THEMSEVES WHY HONG KONG BDTCS SHOULD NOT BE MADE FORMALLY SUBJECT TO THE RECENT FRENCH VISA REQUIREMENT (PARA 3 OF PARIS TEL 1065). WE CAN NO DOUBT TAKE A LITTLE TIME OVER REPLYING TO THE FRENCH NOTE. BUT THE LONGER WE DELAY THE GREATER THE RISK OF THIS SUBJECT GOING OFF THE RAILS AND OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS ARISING AT FRENCH ENTRY POINTS. THIS REINFORCES THE CASE FOR HOLDING TALKS SOON WITH THE FRENCH, AS PROPOSED IN MINISTER'S LETTER UNDER REFERENCE.

3. SEE MIFT.

FRETWELL

YYYY

PCLNAN 6788

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/NTD

RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)

DEP HD/PUSD

PS

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

MR WILSON

MR BARRINGTON

COPIES TO:

MR OSBORNE

MR FIFOOT,

MR PLANT,

NEWS DEPT LEGAL ADVISERS

LEGAL ADVISERS

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

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