TNAG-1754-FCO40-2474-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 77

MTHAFE (8)

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8. Acceptance of BN (0) passports by third countries

The Government recognise that this has been a continuing major

concern in Hong Kong and in the House. In accordance with the

undertaking which we gave during the debates on the Hong Kong Nationality Order in Council in 1986, we mounted a major worldwide

diplomatic exercise before the introduction of the passport on 1 July 1987 to explain the new status and passport to third countries.

We are confident that this exercise has successfully clarified the

issue to third countries.

The passport has now been in circulation for nearly a year. 22,000 people are already travelling on it without encountering problems. If anyone were to encounter difficulties, we would act

quickly to ensure these were resolved.

It is true that the majority of passport applicants in Hong

Kong still prefer the BDTC passport. But this is understandable and I do not regard it as at all discouraging. We are confident that rate of applications for BN (0) passports will gradually increase as people come to recognise what a very useful document it is. extends beyond 1997, unlike the Hong Kong BDTC passports which are now being issued with an increasingly limited validity and a final expiry date of 30 June 1997.

It

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