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FM BRUSSELS
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 412
OF 251506Z AUGUST 1993
DESK OFFICE INDE.
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INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP EC, OTHER EC POSTS
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MY TELNO 398 : SCHENGEN CVL : HONG KONG
1. I DISCUSSED THIS FURTHER YESTERDAY WITH WILLEMS, CHEF DE CABINET, MFA. AS FAR AS HE KNEW BELGIUM HAD NO INTENTION OF INTRODUCING A VISA REGIME FOR HONG KONG IN THE NEAR FUTURE: NOTHING WOULD BE DECIDED UPON WITHOUT PRIOR AGREEMENT WITH THE TWO OTHER BENELUX COUNTRIES. HE FELT BELGIUM WOULD BE CONTENT TO GO ALONG WITH A SCHENGEN CONSENSUS AND SUGGESTED WE SHOULD LOBBY THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH ALREADY HAVE A VISA REGIME WITH HONG KONG, TO GET THEM TO CHANGE THEIR POLICY.
COMMENT
2. BELGIUM IS UNLIKELY TO TAKE THE LEAD IN PRESSING FOR THE INCLUSION OF HONG KONG IN A SCHENGEN CVL. BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, IT IS UNLIKELY TO RESIST IF SPAIN AND A MAJORITY OF OTHER SCHENGEN COUNTRIES PUSH FOR HONG KONG'S INCLUSION. SEEN FROM HERE, OUR BEST LINE OF APPROACH WOULD BE TO LOBBY HARD IN THOSE COUNTRIES WHERE A VISA REGIME ALREADY EXISTS OR IS IN PROSPECT (FRANCE, GERMANY, PORTUGAL AND SPAIN).
MCCARTHY
YYYY
MAIN
42
HKD
MVD
SED
WED
ECD (I)
LEGAL ADVISERS
DISTRIBUTION
42
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES
MR HUM
MR ALSTON
MR GREENSTOCK
MR JAY
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