CONFIDENTIAL
HD2AHX/3
c) since 1981, Dependent Territories continued to be granted visa-free access by some of our VAA partners. Elsewhere Bermuda and Hong Kong, particularly the latter, had in the meantime succeeded in negotiating other visa free arrangements bilaterally. Some or all of these might have been placed in jeopardy;
d) in the case of Hong Kong there was a particular risk that any loss of visa-free access resulting from any initiative by HMG in this field might have further undermined confidence within the Colony in the run-up to 1997.
8. HKD have now indicated that they no longer object, on the grounds of the last sub-paragraph above, to HMG lobbying its EC partners on behalf of Bermuda. Hong Kong will shortly begin direct negotiations with a number of countries for visa arrangements after 1997, and HKD itself will be recommending diplomatic support for that effort by our missions overseas.
9.
Because of Bermuda's size and status, the risk that the small Dependent Territories may have their visa-free access to certain VAA partner countries placed in jeopardy, and the risk that HMG may be seen to be discriminating in favour of Bermuda alone on an issue over which they should logically be acting on behalf of all Dependent Territories, seems to me to be one worth taking.
10. MVD point out that action on behalf of Bermuda leaves a risk that a chain reaction may be set off requiring the UK to negotiate formal revisions to its VAAS. Although that would be a nuisance, it would not constitute a good reason for declining to support Bermuda (and, soon, Hong Kong). Legal Advisers have already advised that we should take the opportunity to amend the Argentine VAA when it is reinstated. As and when other states press for similar tidying up, we should presumably be willing to respond. In practice this seems likely to happen piecemeal, rather than in a rush of requests.
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11. The restrictive entry requirements of EC states is an added cause of sensitivity The Premier of Bermuda complained in January of receiving second-class treatment when, on entering the UK he was obliged to stand in the "others" queue at Heathrow, while his white Finance Minister who has a right of abode could go freely through the EC channel. Resentment in the DTS for which WIAD is responsible has been exacerbated by granting the right of
CONFIDENTIAL
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