450
445
GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
M HONG KONG 261215Z OCT 81
10 IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 973 OF 26 OCTOBER
HIR 340/1
2 OCT 1981 27
DESK OFPER
INDEX
مل
PA
FRUSTRY Action Taken
दे
Pas 9114
FOR LORD PRIVY SEAL FROM GOVERNOR YOUR TELNO 808: NATIONALITY BILL YOUR PARA 4 CAME AS A SHOCK TO UMELCO SINCE I HAD USED THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO UPSET THIS AMENDMENT IN THE COMMONS
AS AN EXPLANATION OF WHY THEY WERE SO RELUCTANT TO MAKE CONCESSIONS IN THE LORDS. IN CONSEQUENCE THE COOLING OFF PROCESS HAS BEEN SHARPLY REVERSED.
451
2. AT THIS LATE STAGE UMELCO MEMBERS ARE PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED TO ESTABLISH JUST WHAT PRECISELY HMG DOES ACCEPT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS TO BE.
THEY ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED AT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF HONG KONG CEASED TO BE BRITISH. WOULD THEY THEN BECOME STATELESS IF THEY LEFT HONG KONG AND DID NOT STAY AND PRESUMABLY BECOME CHINESE? AT THEIR REQUEST I HAVE SUGGESTED TO SIR PAUL BRYAN THAT HE INTERVENS
IN THE DEBATE TOMORROW IN THE SENSE OF MY MIFT. See 3. I REALISE HOW IRRITATING THESE INTERVENTIONS BY HONG KONG MUST BE. ON THE OTHER HAND I THINK YOU WILL APPRECIATE HOW MUCH THIS BILL HAS TOUCHED PEOPLE HERE ON THE RAW. I AM DOUBTFUL WHETHER I COULD HAVE PERSUADED THEM THAT SILENCE WAS PREFERABLE. BUT IN ANY CASE I FEEL IT IS MUCH BETTER THAT THESE QUESTIONS WHICH ARE SO MUCH IN MINDS OF MEMBERS AND THE THINKING PUBLIC SHOULD BE ASKED AND ANSWERED TO THE BEST OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF THE BILL HAD GONE THROUGH MORE QUICKLY AND WITH LESS DRAMA, BUT NOW THESE QUESTIONS ARE OUT IN THE
OPEN ALREADY.
4. I SUGGEST FOR AN ANSWER SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT THE QUESTION PUT COULD ONLY FULLY BE ANSWERED IN THE SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES OF ANY CASE, BUT CERTAINLY, FOR EXAMPLE, SUCH CITIZENS WHO WERE NOT RESIDENT IN THE TERRITORY WOULD HOLD
AND ENJOY THEIR STATUS PLUS RIGHTS INCLUDING THOSE UNDER ARTICLES
16 AND 17 (THE RIGHT TO TRANSMIT TO CHILDREN).
5. I DO NOT THINK AN ANSWER IN THESE TERMS COULD BE PROVOCATIVE TO THE CHINESE SINCE IT WOULD NOT SUGGEST A CONTINUING BRITISH CITIZENSHIP FOR RESIDENTS AFTER A CHINESE TAKE OVER. IT WOULD MEET
THE FEAR OF PEOPLE HERE OF BECOMING STATELESS REFUGEES-OF WHOM
THEY HAVE SEEN SO MANY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS FROM VIETNAM- PROVIDED SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF THE SECOND SENTENCE IS
INCLUDED.
SEE M IF T
MACLEHOSE
see HKK
010/1
(1982)
repeated to Pehing
See 154
459
463
fee also
(220) oh
444 040/1
464
LIMITED
HKJGD
NTD
SAMD
Bu Yu
SED PS
PS/LPS
of 27.00 noted
दिल
27/10
PS/MRLUCE
PS/LORD TREFGARNE PS/PUS
MR DONALD
MR ADAMS
COPIES
то
MS FORD HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
CONFIDENTIAL