GRS 330
ONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 270235Z FEB 80
TO ROUTINE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 293 OF 27 FEBRUARY
FOR MURRAY FROM CLIFT.
NATIONALITY LAW.
Нікк
34011
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 1 1 MAR 1980
DESK OFFICEK
INDEX
PA
A
REGISTRY
Action Taķen
Aw1/3
1. I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH THE GOVERNOR THE DRAFT TELEGRAM PREPARED AFTER CORTAZZI'S MEETING ON 15 FEBRUARY.
2. HE AGREES THAT THE PRESENTATION OF THE OPTIONS IS REASONABLE,
BUT SUGGESTS THAT WE CONSIDER ALSO AS AN ALTERNATIVE THE RETENTION OF "BRITISH SUBJECT'' AS A BLANKET PREFIX FOR ALL THREE CATEGORIES, WITH CITIZENSHIP TITLES ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
A. UK CITIZEN.
B. CITIZEN OF UK COLONIES (WITH NO ''AND'').
C. BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZEN.
3. I HAVE SAID THAT WHILE WE COULD PASS THIS TO VIEW TO MINISTERS THE TERM OF CITIZEN OF UK COLONIES'' HAS ALREADY BEEN TRIED WITH THE HOME OFFICE AND THAT I THOUGHT MINISTERS MIGHT BE RELUCTANT TO REOPEN THE IDEA. (THERE IS ALSO THE OBJECTION OF SOME TERRITORIES TO THE TERM 'COLONIAL'').
4. ON PROCEDURE, THE GOVERNOR WOULD NEED TO DISCUSS WITH EXCO BEFORE GIVING A FIRM VIEW. HE CANNOT FORECAST THEIR REACTION NOW. WHILE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE THIRD CATEGORY IS CERTAINLY THEIR PRIORITY AIM, THEIR FEELINGS ON THE RETENTION OF A REFERENCE TO THE UK CONNECTION ARE STILL STRONG (UMELCO RAISED THIS WITH ME LAST WEEK). IT WOULD HELP IF THE GOVERNOR COULD ASSURE THEM THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAD HIMSELF CONSIDERED THE REPRESENTATIONS WITH SIR Y K KAN MADE TO HIM ON 1 NOVEMBER. THUS IT MIGHT TACTICALLY BE BEST IF WE SUBMITTED TO FCO MINISTERS (NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO THE HOME OFFICE) BEFORE SENDING THE TELEGRAM TO HONG KONG.
5. HONG KONG NEED CLARIFICATION ON THE PLANNED TIMING OF PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER. THEY HAVE HEARD (THROUGH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE) THAT THIS HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL AFTER OCTOBER. MY UNDERSTANDING BEFORE I LEFT LONDON WAS THAT THE HOME OFFICE STILL AIMED TO PUBLISH THIS SESSION.
6. I CAN EXPAND WHEN I RETURN. HONG KONG HAVE SOME DETAILED
POINTS ON THE DRAFT TELEGRAM.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
что
HK + GD
MR CORTAZZ!
MR MURRAY
HR FIGG
CONFIDENTIAL
23A