Recommendation: Calculation of staff savings at posts handling large numbers of HK visas for PRC and Taiwan nationals and Bangkok to be approached on timings.
Action: MVD
We did this.
Hong Kong and the EC
15. The question of visas for BTDCs and BN (0)s for France and Germany and the returnability problem with Austria was also raised. I took the opportunity of explaining where we were at on visas in Europe uniform visa etc and HKID were generally interested to know the current position. I said that if we did not do so, we would let them have copies of our regular six monthly EC update on visa matters. (We do. Obviously no one reads them.) I suggested that as they were concerned about imposition of visa requirements by European countries they should lobby the Schengen Group and the Commission as the EC common visa list goes into Community competence on ratification of Maastricht. Apparently HK has a visa abolition agreement with Spain and I suggested that they lobbied Spain before June whilst the Spanish had the Presidency of the Schengen Group. They thought this was a good idea. The HKID Assistant Director also raised the
problem with Austria and Mauritius about the need for visas
for BN (0)s but not BDTCs and the problem of returnability. He thought there might be mileage in guaranteed returnability via UK. I expressed doubts about this due to asylum.
Recommendation:
points.
Meeting with HKD and NTCD to consider these
Action: MVD, NTCD, HKD.
Coordination
16.
Francis Cheung, the HKID Assistant Director (Special Duties) has been nominated as the person responsible for all
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