TNAG-2951-FCO40-4228-Hong-Kong-visa-free-travel-for-British-Nationals-(Overseas)--1993 — Page 112

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RESTRICTED

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TO PRIORITY ATHENS

TEL

196

OF 0411002 AUGUST 91

AND TO PRIORITY BRUSSELS, THE HAGUE, LUXEMBOURG, MADRID AND TO PRIORITY ROME, UKREP BRUSSELS

INFO

MALMI

A

FEATURE

* TOBAU

BABYe

INCLUSION OF HONG KONG ON COMMON VISA LIST OF SCHENGEN CONVENTION COUNTRIES

1. INSTRUCTIONS TO APPROACH CAPITALS OF BENELUX, GREECE AND ITALY FOR INFORMATION ON THEIR PLANS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHENGEN COMMON VISA LIST AND TO LOBBY FOR CONTINUED VISA FREE ACCESS FOR HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDANT TERRITORY CITIZENS (BDTCS) AND BRITISH NATIONALS (OVERSEAS) (BN(O)S). MADRID TO FOLLOW UP EARLIER APPROACH TO SPANISH AUTHORITIES.

SACKGROUND

2.

THE SPANISH AUTHORITIES NOTIFIED US LAST MONTH THAT, WITH EFFECT FROM 1 OCTOBER 1993, VISAS (BEFORE ARRIVAL) WOULD BE A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL HONG KONG BOTC OR BN (0) VISITORS. (MADRID TELMISC 117 NOT TO ALL.) OUR EMBASSY IN MADRID ESTABLISHED THAT HONG KONG IS ON THE COMMON VISA LIST (CVL) ESTABLISHED BY THE 9 SIGNATORIES OF THE SCHENGEN CONVENTION (SC). THE SPANISH HAD ANTICIPATED THE COMING INTO FORCE OF THE AGREEMENT (TO TAKE PLACE, AT THE EARLIEST, ON 1 DECEMBER 1993).

3. BOTH THE SUBSTANCE AND THE TIMING OF THE SPANISH MOVE AND THE NEWS THAT HONG KONG FIGURES ON THE SC CVL COME AS A BLOW TO US AND TO HONG KONG. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO EQUALISE TREATMENT OF HONG KONG BOTCS/BN (0)S IN EUROPE UPWARDS RATHER THAN DOWNWARDS: BENELUX, ITALY AND GREECE DO NOT AT PRESENT REQUIRE VISAS FOR BOTCS AND BN (0)S. WE JUDGE THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT NOW OF VISA REGIMES TO BE APPLIED BY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE PHASED BN (0) REGISTRATION PROGRAMME (GUIDANCE TELNO 181 TO ABIDJAN NOW FAXED TO UKREP BRUSSELS).

4 WE WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY OF A MEETING WITH FRENCH

►

OFFICIALS ON 2 AUGUST TO SEEK CLARIFICATION ABOUT THE SCHENGEN CVL IN GENERAL-AND HONG KONG IN PARTICULAR. IN PARALLEL., GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD EXPLORE THE ISSUE AND LOBBY ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG WITH HOST CAPITALS (SC COUNTRIES WHO NOW ALLOW VISA FREE TRAVEL FROM HONG KONG).

5. (FOR MADRID) PLEASE NOW FOLLOW UP YOUR ORIGINAL APPROACH TO THE SPANISH, THANKING THEM FOR THEIR FLEXIBILITY TO DATE AND DEPLOYING THE POINTS BELOW TO REQUEST THAT THE SPANISH RECONSIDER THEIR DECISION TO REQUIRE VISAS FROM HONG KONG TRAVELLERS FROM OCTOBER (PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR TELNO 357 -- NOT TO ALL

RESTRICTED

VISA WAIVER ARRANGEMENT

A: SFORS (3)

): HE CS FS AA/CS PA(3) APA (G) DOFIMM (3) DOFP SCA (6) IC LO(IL)

SB SIO HSC DPA S3TC JLG (1) PS/GH(4)