DO HONG KONG
GR 420
SECRET
FM F C O 17190OZ FEB 81
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
întin
TELEGRAM NUMBER 156 OF 17 FEBRUARY.
SOA
NO DISTUR
HONG KONGC e ammiting), 4.K.. B. D. (LONDON),
HVED
By
18/2
HKK GEoll
RECEIVES
K.129
HOGY NO. 51
23 FEB 1981
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
منار
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
$10.7.1003013
FOLLOWING RECEIVED FROM HONG KONG COMMISSIONER LONDON AS TEL
HK 289 OF 17 FEB.
See (87
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM FORD.
SIR ANTHONY ROYLE HAS TELEPHONED WITH THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT OF HIS MEETING WITH MR WHITELAW AT 4 P.M. TODAY WHICH HE ASKED ME TO CONVEY TO YOU.
2. SIR ANTHONY HAD A VERY GOOD TALK WITH THE HOME SECRETARY. THERE WERE NO OFFICIALS PRESENT. SIR ANTHONY CONCENTRATED ON THE POINT THAT YOUR MAIN CONCERN WAS TO SAFEGUARD THE POSITION OF CROWN SERVANTS. THE HOME SECRETARY HAD CONSIDERABLE SYMPATHY AND AGREED THAT HE WOULD DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO HELP. THE ONLY PROBLEM LAY IN HOW TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULT IN TERMS OF LEGISLATION. SIR ANTHONY THEN PUT TO THE HOME SECRETARY THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WHICH YOU HAD DISCUSSED WITH HIM IN HONG KONG, 1.E. THAT CROWN SERVICE SHOULD INCLUDE SERVICE WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THAT THE HOME SECRETARY SHOULD HAVE DISCRETION TO TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT WHEN CONSIDERING APPLICATIONS FOR NATURALISATION AS A BRITISH SUBJECT. MR WHITELAW AGREED WITH THIS APPROACH AND SAID THAT IF SIR ANTHONY COULD PRODUCE A PRECISELY WORDED AMENDMENT TO GIVE EFFECT TO THIS PROPOSAL, HE WOULD CERTAINLY CONSIDER IT.
3. THE DISCUSSION THEN TURNED TO THE QUESTION OF NUMBERS. SIR ANTHONY EMPHASISED THAT CERTAINLY NOT ALL CIVIL SERVANTS WOULD BE EXPECTED TO APPLY FOR NATURALISATION NOR WAS IT ENVISAGED THAT THE HOME SECRETARY WOULD APPROVE ALL APPLICATIONS. SIR ANTHONY SAID THAT THE TOP LIMIT MIGHT BE IN THE ORDER OF 30,000 WHICH WOULD INCLUDE TOP OFFICIALS AND UNOFFICIALS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE AS WELL AS SOME POLICEMEN. MR WHITELAW ASKED SIR ANTHONY IF HE COULD PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE FROM HONG KONG OF THE NUMBER OF APPLICATION
FOR NATURALISATION WHICH MIGHT BE RECEIVED FROM CROWN SERVANTS.
4. SIR ANTHONY WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF HE COULD THEREFORE HAVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THE TWO PIECES OF INFORMATION REQUESTED BY THE HOME SECRETARY. FIRSTLY, THE PRECISE WORDING OF THE AMENDMENT AND, SECONDLY, THE BEST ESTIMATE THAT CAN BE PROVIDED OF THE NUMBERS INVOLVED.
5. I AM OF COURSE AWARE OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS PUT TO THE FCO AND COULD BRIEF SIR ANTHONY ACCORDINGLY IF YOU SO WISH, BUT IF HE IS TO CONCENTRATE ON THIS SINGLE AMENDMENT, CONFIRMATION OF THE WORDING YOU WOULD LIKE WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL. IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT OUR LINE IS ON NUMBERS.
6. INCIDENTALLY, SIR ANTHONY IS SEEING THE PRIME MINISTER AT 11 P.M. THIS EVENING AND WILL PUT THE SAME POINT TO HER.
7. I HAVE AGREED TO CONTACT SIR ANTHONY AS SOON AS I HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR HIM. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU AGREED WITH SIR ANTHONY THAT THIS APPROACH WOULD BE KEPT QUITE SEPARATE FROM THE OFFICIAL TALKS AND I HAVE NATURALLY NOT THEREFORE MENTIONED IT TO ANYONE ELSE.
CARRINGTON
MNNN