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ARRANGEMENTS. (WE FIND THIS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND AND THE CONSUL GENERAL HIMSELF CHARACTERISED THE PROBLEM AS A ''BUREAUCRATIC SUBTLETY''). THEY FELT THEY COULD NOT TAKE THIS SECOND OPTION, VISA FREE VISITS, IN THE CASE OF HONG KONG BDTCS AND BN (0)S, WITHOUT A FORMAL VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENT AGREED WITH YOU. HE ADMITTED ALSO THAT THERE WAS A FACTOR OF CONCERN ABOUT CHINESE USING HONG KONG AFTER 1997 AS A SPRINGBOARD INTO EUROPE. WHEN POINTED TO PROVISIONS IN THE BASIC LAW GUARANTEEING MAINTENANCE OF OUR PRESENT, STRICT IMMIGRATION CONTROL FROM CHINA (ARTICLES 22(4) AND 154(2)), HE SAID THAT THESE WOULD BE GOOD POINTS TO BE MADE IN MADRID.
5. THE POLITICAL ADVISER RAISED THIS ISSUE WITH THE SPANISH CONSUL
GENERAL ON 2 SEPTEMBER. HE THANKED THE SPANISH CONSUL GENERAL FOR THE EXPLANATION PROVIDED TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AND THE HELPFUL SUGGESTION FOR THE UK TO ENTER INTO A VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENT IN ORDER FOR VISA FREE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG BDTCS AND BN (0)S TO CONTINUE. HE SAID HONG KONG PEOPLE VALUED THE IMPORTANCE OF FREEDOM OF TRAVEL. CONTINUITY IN VISA FREE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS LIKE THOSE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND SPAIN WAS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN SUPPORTING CONFIDENCE IN THIS PERIOD OF TRANSITION. HE NOTED THAT AMONG THE SIX SCHENGEN COUNTRIES NOT REQUIRING VISAS FOR HONG KONG BDTCS AND BN (0)S, SPAIN SEEMED TO BE THE ONLY ONE WHICH INTENDED TO INTRODUCE NEW REQUIREMENTS. IT WAS TO SOME EXTENT REASSURING TO KNOW THAT THIS WAS DUE TO TECHNICAL RATHER THAN OTHER REASONS. WE HOPED THAT A WAY COULD BE FOUND TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR MORE TIME TO SORT THINGS OUT. PA ASKED FOR POSTPONEMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
RECENT DECISION TO ENABLE US TO REPORT TO YOU AND EXPLORE THIS OPTION AND PERHAPS OTHER ALTERNATIVES WITH YOU AND MADRID.
6. THE SPANISH CONSUL GENERAL POINTED OUT SPAIN WAS NOT SINGLING OUT HONG KONG. AUSTRALIA, SUADI ARABIA AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES WOULD ALSO FACE THE SAME SITUATION WITH THE COMING INTO FORCE OF THE SCHENGEN AGREEMENT. HE EXPLAINED THE 1 OCTOBER DEADLINE WAS LINKED TO THE 1 DECEMBER IMPLEMENTATION DATE OF THE SCHENGEN AGREEMENT, BUT HE DOUBTED WHETHER THE LATTER WOULD COME INTO EFFECT ON SCHEDULE. HE WOULD REPORT WHAT WE HAD SAID AND WOULD BE AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE. HE RECOGNISED THAT IT WAS NOT IN SPAIN'S OWN INTERESTS TO BE SENDING AN UNHELPFUL MESSAGE TO HONG KONG BDTC/BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS. BUT THERE WAS A LIMIT TO WHAT HE COULD DO. LOBBYING WOULD BE DONE MORE EFFECTIVELY VIA THE FCO AND THE SPANISH EMBASSY IN LONDON OR THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN MADRID AND THE SPANISH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. IF WE WISHED TO ASK FOR A
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