!
HKK 34011
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO. Willwanden J 20
51
Me
ри
03 FERIOR! SECRET
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
Mr Adams
Soen
INDEX
PA
Action Take:
i
(32)
Aw 311⁄2
NEW NATIONALITY LEGISLATION : SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH UNOFFICIALS, 2 FEBRUARY
Position of Hong Kong Government Employees and Unofficials
1.
Locally-engaged Hong Kong Government employees and Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils believe that the new Nationality legislation prejudices their position for the future and specifically are concerned in case of a take-over by China. They believed that Paragraph 70 of the Nationality White Paper opened the way for the Home Secretary to give discretionary naturalisation to Dependent Territories government employees as well as British Crown Servants. They are dismayed at the wording of Schedule 1 Paragraph 1(3) of the Bill which specifically defines the alternative criterion for naturalisation to Crown Servants employed by the Government of the United Kingdom. The Governor has pressed for an amendment to the Schedule which would not exclude Dependent Territories employees. On 29 January, Mr Donald sent a personal telegram explaining the political difficulties of such an amendment. He said that some adjustment to Schedule 1 might be possible to allow Dependent Territories government servants to- set their service against the resident requirement for naturalisation but that, subject to Ministers' agreement, we might do better to concentrate on a secret assurance to people in an exposed position in Hong Kong because of their public service.
2.
The Governor telephoned me this morning to comment on the telegram. He is not impressed by the idea of a secret assurance. He stressed the preoccupation of officials and unofficials in Hong Kong with the wording of the Bill itself. He understands the political difficulties about amendment but emphasised that he foresaw very serious consequences indeed, affecting the viability of the Government of Hong Kong and including resignations by senior officials and unofficials, if the Nationality Bill were left as it stood in this respect.
3. Sir M MacLehose suggested a line on this point for the Secretary of State to take with the two senior Unofficials who are calling on Lord Carrington at 10.00 am on 2 February. He proposed:
a) We realise the importance of the effect of the Bill on
officials and Unofficials.
b) We will try to think of some amendment to the Bill
providing an assurance on naturalisation or entry to the United Kingdom.
c) Such an assurance must obviously be in general not
specific terms. Otherwise there could be difficulties both in the United Kingdom and in Hong Kong where we could perhaps cause a crisis of confidence.
SECRET
/d)