Original at: NCK 340lı
This Copy for:
Information only / Action on Para(s)
OO HONG KONG DESKBY 302359Z
GRS 671
6020
A
HIT RECEIVED
\\N 2
CONFIDENTIAL
34011
BY NO. 51
-4d8 APR 198!
DESK OF INDEX
AWASTHY Acuwa Tekan
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 302359Z
FM FCO 301800 MAR 81
See (16
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
See (62E
TELEGRAM NUMBER 314 OF 30 MARCH
PERSONAL FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY
FROM CLIFT
62B
AKK 02612
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
13 APR 1901
DECK OFFICER
INDEX
ملا
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
fun.
HONG KONG TELNO 351: MEETING WITH SIR S Y CHUNG 1. WE ARE AWARE THAT HONG KONG BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS (I.E. NOW DESCRIBED AS CUKCS) ALREADY HAVE CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY IN GETTING ENTRY TO SOME COUNTRIES (E.G. WEST GERMANY). THIS
ARISES NOT FROM THE DEFINITION OF THEIR STATUS, BUT FROM THE FACT
THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE AUTOMATIC RIGHT OF ENTRY OR ABODE IN THE
UK:
HENCE FOREIGN IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS CLAIM THERE ARE DOUBTS
ABOUT THEIR RETURNABILITY TO A COUNTRY THAT WILL ACCEPT THEM.
WE THEREFORE DO NOT AGREE THAT THE BILL IN ITSELF WILL MAKE LIFE
MORE DIFFICULT FOR CBDTS TRAVELLING OVERSEAS, OR THAT CITIZEN-
SHIP OF THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WILL BE MEANINGLESS TO
A FOREIGN IMMIGRATION OFFICER, OR THAT (BY IMPLICATION) WHAT HE
IS PRIMARILY INTERESTED IN IS WHETHER A PERSON IS A 'NATIONAL'
OF A STATE IN THE SENSE THAT THAT STATE MAY BE ENTITLED TO SEEK
TO REPRESENT HIS INTERESTS ON THE INTERNATIONAL PLANE.
2. WE HAVE TO BEAR IN MIND THAT THE TERM 'NATIONAL', IF USED,
COULD NOT BE RESTRICTED TO CBDTS. IT WOULD ALSO NEED TO BE USED
FOR BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS, BRITISH SUBJECTS WITHOUT CITIZEN-
SHIP, BRITISH PROTECTED PERSONS AS WELL AS BRITISH CITIZENS.
FURTHERMORE, THE TERM IN INTERNATIONAL LAW SHOULD MORE PROPERLY
BE 'UK NATIONAL' AND NOT 'BRITISH NATIONAL'. TO INTRODUCE THIS
TERM AS AN UMBRELLA TITLE COVERING ALL THESE VARIOUS CATEGORIES
WOULD BE TO NULLIFY WHAT IS A PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVE OF THE BILL,
NAMELY, TO USE TITLES WHICH AVOID GIVING THE IMPRESSION THAT A
PERSON MIGHT HAVE RIGHTS IN THE UK, PARTICULARLY THE RIGHT OF
ABODE. THERE IS ALREADY CONSIDERABLE DISPUTE NATIONALLY AND
INTERNATIONALLY WHETHER AT LEAST SOME BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS
1
CONFIDENTIAL