GRS 210
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 200100Z
FM F C O 191908Z OCT 81
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 340/1
སྡུས་་བ•
it L.
2 1 OCT 1981
BASK OFFICER
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
R$
INDEX
FA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 803 OF 19 OCTOBER.
Action Take
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM LORD PRIVY SEAL
22.60
Püs 23/10
FCO TELNO 800: BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL.
21
1. MR WHITELAW HAS NOW AGREED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SUPPORT THE SUBSTANCE OF LORD GEDDES' AMENDMENT TO SUBSTITUTE 'BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN' FOR 'CBDT' ALTHOUGH SOME FURTHER PARLIAMENTARY DRAFTING WILL BE NECESSARY.
431
See (437)
2. GIVEN THE POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES HERE, THIS IS A CONSIDERABLE MOVE ON THE HOME SECRETARY'S PART. IT WILL BRING THE WORD ORDER OF ALL THREE MAIN CATEGORIES OF CITIZENSHIP INTO LINE AND CAN BE SEEN AS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY HMG OF THE IMPORTANCE WHICH ALL THE DEPENDENT
I HOPE YOU WILL BE TERRITORIES ATTACH TO THE BRITISH CONNECTION.
ABLE TO PRESENT IT TO UMELCO IN THESE TERMS, IF NECESSARY ADDING MY PERSONAL ASSURANCE OF HMG'S CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG, 3. AS YOU WILL APPRECIATE, THE REVERSAL OF THE GIBRALTAR AMENDMENT IN THE COMMONS REMAINS AS IMPORTANT AS EVER TO HMG AND IS, BELIEVE, VERY MUCH IN THE INTERESTS OF THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. IT WOULD REMOVE THE UNACCEPTABLE ANOMALY UNDER WHICH ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES WOULD RECEIVE BETTER TREATMENT THAN THE OTHERS. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THIS.
CARRINGTON
LIMITED
HK & GD
NTD
PS
PS/LPS
PS/LORD TREFGARNE
PS/PUS
MR DONALD
MR ADAMS
1
COPIES TO MR FORD
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
LONDON
CONFIDENTIAL