GOVERMENT HOUSE HONG KONG.
་་
LED, 85. AUG 92 09:47
PG.04
.3.
CONFIDENTIAL
In the interests of continuity, our joint objective should be to ensure that the countries and territories on the attached list maintain their policy on Hong Kong after 1997 in respect of visa free entry and to extend it to other categories, such as
Certificate of Identity holders.
It is equally important that
similar arrangements be made for holders of Hong Kong SAR
passports from 1 July 1997.
4.
1
The best way of achieving this, in our view, would be to put the existing visa-free arrangements on a formal footing by negotiating and concluding VAAs with third countries which extend beyond 1997. As such negotiations are likely to be lengthy and time consuming, it would be prudent to begin this process soon, and well before 1997. That would help to avoid a hiatus around 1997 and the possibility of loss of visa free access for some Hong Kong residents at that time.
5.
The British side proposes that the Hong Kong Government be authorised to negotiate and conclude VAAS which could remain in force after 1997. We further propose that the VAAS should be negotiated along the lines of a model draft agreement which has been prepared for this purpose, and which I would like to hand to the Chinese side. This model agreement is essentially a standard
VAA.
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.