TNAG-2951-FCO40-4228-Hong-Kong-visa-free-travel-for-British-Nationals-(Overseas)--1993 — Page 85

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(66) (67)(68)

Mrs Barnes Jones

Hong Kong Department

Mr Gee R&R 13/8. Must

Hi 345

RECEIVED IN RE

RECEL

'12 AUG 1993*

DESK OFF AUG 1993 INDE.DESK OFFICEP

INDE

GISTRY

Hert Tower

(66)

VISAS FOR HONG KONG BDTCS AND BN (0)S

1. I refer to your minute of 9 August. I have also seen Miss Brooks minute of 4 August, and Mr McLachlan's of 6 August.

2.

(67

(60)

I agree with your interpretation of M. Terral's view on Hong Kong, and he confirmed that the Territory had not been raised within the Schengen group meetings for special consideration. There has however been implied criticism of Hong Kong over the transit of PRC nationals who arrived in Europe, allegedly via Hong Kong. This was raised in the EC Visa working group rather than Schengen (my minute of 4 June to Mr Bunten). Hong Kong telegram 1260 provided ammunition to deal with those allegations, which has been passed on to the Home Office for transmission to the Presidency (copy of my letter to B6 Division is attached).

3.

The various ways to carry this forward have been covered by Mr McLachlan. The only thing I would wish to add at this stage is that there would appear to be no operational reason why the option described in his para 5(c) should not work. If member states were in agreement, it ought to be feasible for Hong Kong to be left off the CVL, and for national visa requirements to be imposed over and above the CVL. But until the necessary structures have been established there appears to be little we can do.

4. Your point about BDTCs from other Dependent Territories is not really relevant. None of our partners in the EC currently have visa regimes on DTS other than Hong Kong, (presumably because the numbers are too small to worry about). Consequently it seems unlikely that other DTs will figure on either the Schengen or the EC CVLS.

MBBJ,

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Mr. Morris Fine. Thanks. (In practice fore is likely to be like difference between 5 (6) + (c). France

16/8

A I plan to call a further meetings

once all the Schengen responses are

in i.e being realishi, week beginning

23 August: PBJ 13/8.

Mr McLachlan, ECD (I)

HK Comoro (UL).

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R.W. Sindon

Migration & Visa Dept CL407 270-4045

11 August 1993