398
PS/JUS
pes
HKに
HONG KONG: NATIONALITY BILL
1.
34011
CONFIDENTIAL
→ 1840 19/10
म
Hd(HKG) pr. 1/1/00
The PUS may wish to see the exchange of telegrams between the LPS and the Governor on this subject. The key papers are:
a) Hong Kong Telegram No 912 of 9 October;
424
A
BU A A
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В
(400)
C
(403
D
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b)
FCO Telegram No 787 to Hong Kong of 9 October;
c)
Hong Kong Telegram No 915 of 12 October;
d)
Hong Kong Telegram No 933 of 15 October;
e) Hong Kong Telegram No 940 of 16 October.
Su
420
See (420
Background
2. The passing in the Lords of the Gibraltar amendment revived concerns in Hong Kong that they were being discriminated against. They held off lobbying during the recess but since then have been pressing their claim to some kind of amendment to the Bill which would emphasise their 'Britishness'.
3.
The FCO tried to anticipate the problem which would arise if the Government in the end failed to get the House of Commons
reverse the Gibraltar amendment, thus perpetuating unequal treatment of the Dependent Territories. Ministers (Lord Trefgarne and the LPS) pressed the Home Office to agree to an amendment to be tabled in the Lords which would vary the title of Citizens of the British Dependent Territoris and underline the British connection. So far the Home Secretary has rejected anything on these lines.
4. Earlier this week Lord Geddes put forward an amendment in the Lords stating that all British Citizens, Citizens of the British Dependent Territories and British Overseas Citizens were 'British Nationals'. This was opposed by HMG but only narrowly defeated. The Unofficial Members of the Hong Kong Executive and Legislative Councils (UMELCO) were annoyed that the Governor advised them not to lobby for the amendment (see Hong Kong Telegram No 933).
5. Lord Geddes has now put down a further motion changing the title of CBDTs to 'British Dependent Territories Citizens'. We are advising the LPS to write to the Home Secretary pressing for this amendment to be accepted by HMG. It would go some way to placate Hong Kong.
* He has now written.
16 October 1981
cc Mr Donald
Drip
R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
Mr Howells NTD
CONFIDENTIAL
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