TNAG-2951-FCO40-4228-Hong-Kong-visa-free-travel-for-British-Nationals-(Overseas)--1993 — Page 34

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FM PARIS

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INFO ROUTINE EC POSTS, HONG KONG

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YOUR TELNO 196: INCLUSION OF HONG KONG ON COMMON LIST OF SCHENGEN

CONVENTION COUNTRIES

SUMMARY

French hand over copy of Schengen common visa list. Hong Kong is not included. They are ready to press Schengen partners to consider Hong Kong's status, but do not consider it is a priority.

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DETAIL

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Third Secretary (Economic) called on Jean-Francis

Terral, sous-directeur responsible for Schengen/immigration policy at the Quai, and handed over an aide-memoire based on the points in TUR. Terral was grateful for clarification of our position. He understood our concern and undertook to ensure that Hong Kong's status was discussed by the Schengen countries; currently, though, it was not a priority.

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3. Hong Kong was not on the common visa list. Indeed he doubted whether Hong Kong ever would be included it would be difficult to get unanimity on requiring visas for such a politically and economically important group. The only problem was clandestine Chinese immigration. But since Schengen countries did not require visas for Singapore, this did not seem insurmountable.

Terral handed over, in confidence, a copy of the common visa List. It makes no mention of Hong Kong. A copy is being sent by bag to Lewty MVD.

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