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sustaining confidence in Hong Kong up to and beyond 1997 maintaining, or improving on, the present access for Hong Kong residents can play an important part in confidence building in Hong Kong itself) and point to Hong Kong's good record in terms of well behaved travellers who do not overstay, and are returnable to Hong Kong. We know that some European countries are concerned about illegal immigration from China now and in the future and perceive Hong Kong as a possible springboard for illegal immigration from Hong Kong to Europe (this fear was raised at an Immigration Working Group earlier this year); we need to scotch this impression.
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7. We have to recognise however that now the Schengen decision is taken we are unlikely to unpick it. Our fall-back strategy therefore has to be: (i) to find out more about Schengen intentions (ii) to confirm that Hong Kong is not being singled out (iii) to seek to delay implementation (at least as it relates to Hong Kong). In theory, the SC will come into force on 1 December although we assess this to be an optimistic deadline in view of work yet to be done to strengthen external frontiers to a mutually acceptable degree. Even when the SC comes into force it might be possible to delay the introduction of visas for Hong Kong. Successful bilateral lobbying would buy a few months reprieve
longer if implementation of the SC is postponed beyond
December.
Wider Implications
8.
The immediate problem for Hong Kong is the likelihood that Benelux, Italy, Spain and Greece will shortly require visas for BDTCs and BN(0)s. We identified in our last submission the longer term problems of further limitations on access to the EC once the Treaty on European Union comes into force and a CVL established which would be imposed by
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