GRS 640
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(12)
TOP CO
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HKK 34011
RECEIVED IN REDISTRY NO. 51 16 FEB 1981
FM F C O 111834Z FER 81
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 132 OF 11 FEBRUARY
INFO PRIORITY PEKING,
FOR GOVERNOR FROM YOUDE.
See (83
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
YOUR TELNO 129: NEW NATIONALITY LEGISLATION.
166
مر
PA
830s.
REGISTRY
Action Tuken
PLO 30/3
1. I AM GLAD TO HAVE THIS HELPFUL EXCHANGE BEFORE WE GET INTO
DISCUSSION WITH THE HOME OFFICE. WE ARE VERY CONSCIOUS THAT WE
MUST REPRESENT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS FULLY AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE TO WORK WITHIN THE POLITICAL AND PRACTICAL CONSTRAINTS AT THIS END. THE BASIS OF THE FILL, THE IDENTIFICATION OF CITIZENSHIP WITH THE RIGHT OF ENTRY, FOR WHICH THERE IS CONSIDERABLE POLITICAL SUPPORT, MEANS THAT THERE ARE LIMITS TO WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE, PARTICULARLY AS PRESSURE FROM RIVAL LOBBIES FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE BILL MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO MEET HONG KONG'S REQUIREMENTS IN ISOLATION AND INCREASES FEARS THAT ONE CONCESSION WILL BREED MANY MORE. MOREOVER WHILE INITIALLY WE IN THE F C O ARE ARGUING A CASE WITH THE HOME OFFICE, WE WILL INEVITABLY MOVE TOWARDS A SITUATION IN WHICH F C O AND HOME OFFICE MINISTERS WILL HAVE TO COMBINE TO DEFEND ANY AMENDMENTS AGAINST CRITICS IN COMMITTEE AND IN THE HOUSE. WE MUST THEREFORE LOOK FOR CHANGES WHICH ARE SIMPLE AND DEFENSIBLE BY THE GOVERNMENT AS A WHOLE.
23.
See wave 204/2 1881
2. THE LIMITATIONS APPLY PARTICULARLY IN TWO AREAS: THE TIMING OF APPLICATIONS FOR NATURALISATION AND THE SPREAD OF THOSE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY. WE MUST SO FAR AS POSSIBLE DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE NOT INVITING A FLOOD OF APPLICATIONS AS SOON AS THE BILL BECOMES LAW. INDEED SUCH APPLICATIONS WOULD ALMOST INEVITABLY BE REFUSED BY THE HOME SECRETARY, WHICH WOULD IN ITSELF DAMAGE CONFIDENCE. AT THE SAME TIME WE SHOULD AVOID WORDING WHICH SUGGESTS ELIGIBILITY FOR TOO LARGE A GROUP. I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN ABOUT DIVISIONS AMONG THE HONG KONG POPULATION BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT THE HOME OFFICE ARE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED AT THE IMPLICATIONS EVEN OF THE CROWN SERVICE GROUP IN HONG KONG.
3. WITH THESE POINTS IN MIND, THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON PARAGRAPH 6-11 OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE REPRESENT OFFICIAL VIEWS IN THE FCO.
4. WE THINK THE SUGGESTION IN YOUR PARAGRAPH 8 MAY HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS, I.E. A NEW SUB-PARAGRAPH F WITHOUT AMENDMENT TO SCHEDULE 1 PARA 1(3). AS SEEN FROM HERE THIS WOULD HAVE THE ATTRACTION OF UNDERLINING THE NEED TO CONSIDER THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF EACH CASE. IT WOULD NOT EXCLUDE ANYONE, BUT IT WOULD PROVIDE A CHECK ON TIMING AND NUMBERS.
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15.