GPS 570 PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
FM FCO 3017472
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 424 OF 30 MAY
3
FOR GOVERNOR FROM BRAY:
NATIONALITY LAW.
OP COFT
HKK 340/1
RAVED
1 -.1978
* OFFICER
FA
(π
Aleast
HAL MILLER BROUGHT KEITH SPEED TO LUNCH. SPEED IS THE AUTHOR OF THE DOCUMENTS ON CONSERVATIVE POLICY ON IMMIGRATION AND WAS INTERESTED TO LEARN OF OUR VIEWS ON IMMIGRATION
AND NATIONALITY.
2. I SAID THAT SO FAR AS IMMIGRATION INTO THE UK WAS CONCERNED THE POSITION WAS WELL UNDERSTOOD IN HONG KONG. HOLDERS OF HONG KONG PASSPORTS HAD NO RIGHT OF ENTRY AND THE LIMITATIONS IN THE NUMBERS ALLOWED TO COME TO BRITAIN TO WORK EACH YEAR HAD BEEN ACCEPTED FOR SOME TIME. THERE WAS NO GREAT DESIRE BY ANY APPRECIABLE PROPORTION OF THE 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE ENTITLED TO HONG KONG PASSPORTS TO COME TO BRITAIN. NATURALLY MORE WOULD COME IF THE IMMIGRATION RULES WERE RELAXED BUT THE PRESENT POSITION WAS ACCEPTED. SO FAR AS NATIONALITY LAW WAS CONCERNED SAID I THOUGHT A CHANGE WHICH MIGHT BE ANNOUNCED WHEN PEOPLE WERE BECOMING SOMEWHAT APPREHENSIVE ABOUT 1997 WOULD HAVE HARMFUL EFFECTS OUT OF ALL PROPORTION TO THE GAIN OF TIDINESS ACHIEVED BY BRINGING NATIONALITY LAW INTO LINE WITH IMMIGRATION RIGHTS. A CHANGE OF NATIONALITY STATUS FROM CITIZEN OF THE UK AND COLONIES TO BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZEN WOULD BE INCOMPREHENSIBLE IN HONG KONG EXCEPT AS A SIGNAL THAT BRITAIN WAS PUSHING HONG KONG FURTHER AWAY. SHOULD SUCH A SIGNAL BE MADE BEFORE THERE WAS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING ON THE N.T. LEASE IT COULD WELL BE TAKEN AS A SIGN THAT BRITAIN WAS PREPARING TO. ISOLATE HONG KONG, IF NOT LEAVE IT. ANY SUCH INTEPRETATION WOULD AFFECT NOT ONLY THOSE ENTITLED TO HONG KONG PASSPORTS BUT ALSO THE REST OF THE POPULATION WHICH DOES NOT WISH TO SEE THE STATUS QUO CHANGED. I SAID I FELT SURE THAT NOBODY IN BRITAIN WISHED TO UNDERMINE THE SECURITY OF HONG KONG AS A PART OF AN EFFORT
TO TIDY UP LEGAL NICETIES.
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CONFIDENTIAL.
13. SPEED ACCEPTED