A
Mr Donald
SECRET
HKCR
34011
RECEIVED IN REPASTRY NO. 51
- 9 FEB 198!
DESK OFFICER INDEX
مثل
PA
15.4.
$15
REGISTRY
Action Taken
веро
213
47
tie
NATIONALITY BILL: HONG KONG: PETITION TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Problem
1.
see
The locally-engaged members of the Hong Kong Administrative
Service have petitioned the Secretary of State concerning the
38 Nationality Bill (Hong Kong Telegram No 95). The Governor has
asked for instructions on how to speak at a meeting with the
petitioners. (Hong Kong Telegram No 94).
B
37
Recommendation
2.
I recommend that the Governor be authorised to speak on the
lines of the attached draft telegram.
Background
3.
NTD agree.
The argument in the petition is the same as the main point
which Sir S Y Chung and Mr O V Cheung made to Lord Carrington on
2 February: the need for HMG to provide a haven for local officers
(and Unofficials) from Hong Kong in the event of a Chinese take-over.
Argument
4. We cannot give a substantive reply to the petition until
we have gone further in discussion with the Home Office following
the Secretary of State's letter to the Home Secretary. It would,
however, be helpful for the Governor to tell local Administrative
Service members how matters stand. He could assure them of the
Secretary of State's sympathy without any commitment as to how a
solution can be found.
5.
Lord Shepherd's undertaking.
Reference is made in the
penultimate paragraph of the petition to an assurance given in
October 1967 by the then Minister of State, Lord Shepherd, that
/Crown
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