TNAG-2560-FCO40-3737-Hong-Kong-visa-abolition-agreements-1992 — Page 39

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1236

OF 07085OZ MAY 92

CONFIDENTIAL

HKC 345/1

C

TOP COPY Q DIST?

164736

MDLIAN 3958

CM

19

YOUR TELNO 733: VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENTS.

WE HAVE CONSIDERED THIS FURTHER, AND DECIDED THAT, TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF CHINESE SENSITIVITIES, SCHEDULE 1 OF THE DRAFT MODEL AGREEMENT AND THE REFERENCE TO IT IN ARTICLE 1 (1) SHOULD BE REMOVED. THE AGREEMENT SHOULD REFER ONLY TO 'REQUISITE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS'. IF THIRD COUNTRIES INSIST ON THESE BEING SPECIFIED, WE SHOULD SEEK TO DO SO IN A SIDE LETTER NOT FORMING PART OF THE AGREEMENT ITSELF.

2. AS REGARDS YOUR QUESTIONS ON THE MODEL AGREEMENT

(A) ARTICLE 1 - THE SQUARE BRACKETS ARE REDUNDANT. WE HAVE

REMOVED THEM:

(B) ARTICLE 2: THE FIRST SET OF SQUARE BRACKETS IS TO

PROVIDE THE OPTION OF INCLUDING PERSONS OTHER THAN PASSPORT HOLDERS IN THE AGREEMENT (PARAGRAPHS 7

AND 12 OF THE EXCO PAPER REFER). THE SQUARE

BRACKETS IN ARTICLES 3, 7, AND 8 SERVE THE SAME PURPOSE:

(C) ARTICLE 2: THE SECOND SET OF SQUARE BRACKETS IS FOR THE

NUMBER OF DAYS FOR WHICH VISITS MY BE VISA-FREE.

THE BRACKETS IN ARTICLES 4 AND 6 SERVE SIMILAR

PURPOSES IN THEIR CONTEXTS: AND

(D) ARTICLE 6: 'ON A RECIPROCAL BASIS' MEANS THAT THE TWO

GOVERNMENTS CAN AGREE A BLANKET INCREASE IN THE NUMBER

OF DAYS PERMITTED IN ARTICLES 2 AND 4.

3.

WE AIM TO GO TO EXCO AT THE END OF MAY. WE WILL INFORM YOU OF PROGRESS.

WILSON

YYYY

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