CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 061200Z FCO TELNO 342
OF 06090OZ AUGUST 92
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY Q DIST?
HKD 2406/1
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, PEKING
no
YOUR TELNO 159: NEW CONSULATE GENERAL: PRESS RELEASE
1.
124
104362
MDHIAN 4589
pa
7/6
THE LINE SUGGESTED IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS ON CONSULAR PROTECTION IN THE BACKGROUND BRIEFING FAXED BY MORRIS TO BTC SEEMS TO US TO BE SERIOUSLY WRONG. IT TAKES THE LINE WHICH WE NOW USE FOR HONG KONG PERSONS IN CHINA AND TRIES TO APPLY IT TO BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997. THE TWO SITUATIONS ARE NOT COMPARABLE: THE LINE IS SUSTAINABLE NOW BECAUSE WE ARE IN EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG, EVEN IF THE CHINESE DO NOT RECOGNISE THIS DE JURE, BUT THIS WILL NOT BE THE CASE AFTER 1997.
2.
SO FAR AS WE CAN RECALL, WE HAVE ALWAYS MADE IT CLEAR HERE THAT BRITAIN WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OFFER BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS CONSULAR PROTECTION IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 IF THE CHINESE REGARDED THEM AS CHINESE NATIONALS (THERE WILL BE SOME, EG INDIANS, WHO DO NOT FALL IN THIS CATEGORY). FURTHERMORE THE BRITISH MEMORANDUM SAYS CLEARLY THAT BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS WILL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE BRITISH CONSULAR SERVICES AND PROTECTION WHEN IN THIRD COUNTRIES. THE CHINESE MEMORANDUM SAYS THAT BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS WILL NOT BE ENTITLED TO BRITISH CONSULAR PROTECTION IN THE HKSAR.
3. WE THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT, IF ASKED ABOUT THIS ASPECT, SPOKESMAN SHOULD SAY THAT THE BCG WILL SERVICE THE PASSPORTS OF UK PASSPORT HOLDERS, BUT THAT AS WE HAVE FREQUENTLY SAID BEFORE IT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OFFER CONSULAR PROTECTION IN THE SAR TO PERSONS REGARDED BY CHINA AS BEING CHINESE NATIONALS. SPOKESMAN COULD POINT TO THE TEXTS OF THE EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA.
4. HKG AGREE.
GALSWORTHY
YYYY
1
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