GRS 550
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENHAL
FM HONG KONG 180410Z FEBRUARY 81
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 160 OF 18 FEBRUARY
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
FOR YOUDE
FROM GOVERNOR
se See88B
HKK 340
**
RECEIVED PERETESTOY NO. 51 1 @ FEB 1981
BESK OFFICER
INDEX
(83
RECI
PA
Action Taken
No
430.3.
Pero 30/3
YOUR TELEGRAMS 121 AND 132: NEW NATIONALITY LEGISLATION
AS FORESHADOWED IN PARAGRAPH 1 OF MY TELNO 129 OF (66)
10 FEBRUARY. UNOFFICIALS DISCUSSED THEIR MAJOR CONCERNS WITH MESSRS LYONS AND WHITNEY LAST WEEK. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ALSO PUT TO THE MPS THE VARIOUS DRAFTING CHANGES SET OUT IN PARAGRAPHS 6, 7, AND 11 OF MY TELNO 129 WITHOUT HOWEVER INDICATING EITHER OUR OWN POSITION OR YOUR ADVICE AS TO PREFERENCES OR DIFFERENT POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS.
66
See 1931)
2. LYONS AND WHITNEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD SEEK TO SPEAK WITH MINISTERS. I DO NOT KNOW HOW QUICKLY THEY WOULD DO THAT BUT I SHOULD IMAGINE THAT, FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, IT WOULD BE DESIRABLE FOR DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE FCO AND THE HOME OFFICE TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE BEFORE MINISTERS SEE THE MPS.
3. IN THIS CONNECTION WE HAVE JUST BEEN INFORMED BY WEEB-JOHNSON IN OUR LONDON OFFICE THAT THE FCO/HOME OFFICE DISCUSSIONS HAVE YET TO TAKE PLACE APPARENTLY BECAUSE THE HOME OFFICE IS AWAITING WRITTEN REPRESENTATIONS FROM UMELCO FOLLOWING SIR S Y AND MR CHEUNG'S RECENT MEETING WITH THE HOME SECRETARY. THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN SOME MISUNDERSTANDING ON THIS. IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL THIS MORNING SIR S Y MADE IT CLEAR THAT WHILE HE AND MR CHEUNG HAD BEEN KEEN TO KEEP THE DOOR OPEN FOR FURTHER REPRESENTATIONS THEY DID NOT HAVE IT IN MIND TO FOLLOW UP THEIR MEETING WITH MR WHITELAW BY ANY IMMEDIATE WRITTEN REPRESENTATIONS ALTHOUGH THEY MAY DO SO AT SOME FUTURE DATE IF THEY HAVE OTHER AMENDMENTS TO PROPOSE. THE AMENDMENTS PUT FORWARD IN MY TELNO 129 WERE DRAFTED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOLLOWING A PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION WITH EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND REPRESENTED PROPOSALS FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
(AS DISTINCT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION) AND SHOULD BE TREATED
AS SUCH.
4. INCIDENTALLY, WITH REGARD TO PARAGRAPHS 2 AND 5 OF YOUR 71) TELNO 132 OF 11 FEBRUARY. I DO NOT THINK YOU ARE LIKELY TO BE
FACED WITH AN IMMEDIATE FLOOD OF APPLICATIONS FOR
! NATURALISAMON
CONFIDEN MAL