CONFIDENTIAL
HICK 340/1
DAY
RECEIVED A RESTY NU. SI
Setary of State 7 MAY 1981
cc: LPS
DECK OFICER
ло
Mr Blaker Sir E Youde Mr Donald
INDEX
Mr Adams HKGD
NTD
27J
PA
REGHENY Action Teser
261
Secretary of State
PS/Mr Blalar
After discussion at thes ministerial meeting,
Pro 4/6 morning,
it was appled that ver Blaker dl try
see (262) Blak
HONG KONG:NATIONALITY BILL Naisan to
include
incl
-
the reech, if it is not
ракове
persunde Ver
samething
ponibla the bill
1. I fully understand the desire of the Governor and officials this end to do everything possible to ease anxieties amongst the leaders of the Hong Kong community.
2. However I feel bound to say that I think that, whilst entirely accepting that the Nationality Bill provides no joy for the FCO and the Dependencies since its purpose is to provide for a clear British Citizenship, it is our job to take a positive lead in reassuring Hong Kong. I do not feel that we have exercised that lead sufficiently and, by our defensive posture, we have therefore created for ourselves greater problems than we need otherwise have.
(247)
3. In a previous minute to you I summarised for you the extent to which we have held the line in Committee and made concessions on behalf of Hong Kong with some considerable difficulty. This has been achieved after over 150 hours of general debate in Committee but leaving a general feeling in the minds of all members of the Committee that our policy on Citizenship for all the Dependencies is dominated by the single issue of the overwhelming importance to us of Hong Kong. We have been criticized for this on both sides although we won the day and I think we were right to do so.
4. On Report Stage (first week of June) we shall face a serious prospect of all party support for Gibraltar being provided with British Citizenship. Our main task on this will be to do our utmost to avoid defeat, for the sake of Hong Kong.
5. My own view is that there are no credible fall-back positions on this very complex issue of 'UK Nationals' without creating utter confusion over the Bill and virtually destroying its purpose. Moreover I think the Home Secretary would take an even stronger line.
6. I therefore recommend against raising any further matters on this score with the Home Secretary.
7.
The best service we can do Hong Kong is to stop making them feel that there is always one more little concession that they can win. On the contrary we can be perfectly vigorous in reaffirming what we have done for them and that our ties are as solid as ever. Ministers in
the Commons and Lords can seek whatever opportunities are available to continue to reaffirm our position on this.
8.
I believe the Governor should be instructed to do the same rather than to compound his own problems and the unnecessary wories of the Hong Kong leaders. Enough is enough.
18 May 1981
CONFIDENTIAL
Rüh Rich Luce.
Richard Luce