GRS 212
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 3045
OF 140315Z AUGUST 87
INFO IMMEDIATE BANGKOK
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
Confidential
340/1
851
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS: THAILAND
1. DURING TELECON TONKIN/CLIFT ON 13 AUGUST FORMER MENTIONED THE
THAI AUTHORITIES' REFERENCE TO AN EXCHANGE OF NOTES SOME YEARS AGO
ALLEGEDLY ON ACCEPTANCE OF THE BDTC PASSPORT, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE
TO HONG KONG.
2. WE CANNOT FIND ANY REFERENCE HERE IN HONG KONG TO AN EXCHANGE ON BDTC PASSPORTS BUT BETWEEN MARCH 1974 AND DECEMBER 1975 THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS LEADING TO AN EXCHANGE OF NOTES BETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE THAI CONSULATE-GENERAL TO ABOLISH VISAS FOR BRITISH (HK) PASSPORT HOLDERS. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY ACTED ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG IN A NOTE OF 30 DECEMBER 1975. (TEXT IN MIFT).
3. THE REASON FOR THE HK/THAILAND AGREEMENT WAS THE NEGOTIATION BY
HMG OF A VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENT WITH THAILAND. IT WAS DECIDED THEN
(FOR REASONS WHICH WE CANNOT DISCOVER AT PRESENT) THAT UK'S AGREEMENT COULD NOT COVER HONG KONG, HENCE THE SEPARATE AGREEMENT.
4. SINCE THE 1975 EXCHANGE COVERED BRITISH ''HONG KONG'' PASSPORT
HOLDERS IN GENERAL AND NO FRESH AGREEMENT WAS CONCLUDED ON BDTC PASSPORTS, THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ARGUMENT FOR TAKING SIMILAR ACTION
IN RESPECT OF BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS.
5. SEE MIFT.
WILSON
HMLNAN 6376
HONG KONG AGREEMENT:
RATIONALITY
LIMITED
COPIES TO:
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/NTD
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER) DP.HD/PUSD
PS
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN MISS PESTELL
MR OSBORNE, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR PLANT, LEGAL ADVISERS
WRR HENDERSON, PASSPORT DEPT, ROOM 236,
CLIVE HOUSE
MR EMERY,, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON (2
MR MCDOUGALL, MVD
MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE
COPIES)
THIS TELEGRAM
WAS NOT ADVANCED
Confidential
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