GRS 550
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTİ:
FM HONG KONG 161028Z OCTOBER 81
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 941 OF 16 OCTOBER
мір
MIPT
422
HIK 340/1
VCBY RD. $1
CT 1981
SK OFFICER
PA
Мо
£5.!!.
RAQUSTRY
Action Taken
:
HAVING BEEN PERSUADED TO ADOPT THIS STRATEGY BEGIN SQUARE
BRACKETS OF NOT LOBBYING IN FAVOR OF LORD GEDDES AMENDMENT END SQUARE BRACKETS WE WERE SHOCKED
TO LEARN YESTERDAY MORNING THAT THE SECOND PART OF LORD GEDDES' THIRD READING AMENDMENT, TO PLACE BRITISH (HONG KONG) CITIZEN''
IN PASSPORTS, HAD BEEN REJECTED BY THE CLERK OF THE PARLIAMENTS ON THE GROUND OF ITS SIMILARITY TO AN EARLIER UNSUCCESSFUL AMENDMENT TABLED BY LORD ELWYN-JONES. WE ARE ESPECIALLY DISTRESSED
THAT WE DESISTED FROM LOBBYING WIDELY IN SUPPORT OF LORD GEDDES' FIRST AMENDMENT, BECAUSE WE BELIEVED THAT A VIABLE
FALL-BACK POSITION WAS AVAILABLE TO US. INDEED, THE THIRD
READING FALL-BACK AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY LORD GEDDES WAS OF SIMILAR BREADTH AND IN SIMILAR TERMS TO THE CONTINGENCY AMENDMENT
MR ATKINS HAD HIMSELF PUT TO THE HOME SECRETARY. WE RECEIVED
NO PRIOR HINT NOR WARNING THAT IT MIGHT BE RULED OUT OF ORDER.
THE SORRY POSITION IN WHICH WE NOW FIND OURSELVES IS A
DIRECT RESULT OF THE ADVICE WE HAVE RECEIVED. HAVING FAILED
TO GIVE ALL-OUT SUPPORT TO LORD GEDDES FIRST AMENDMENT, WE FIND OURSELVES LEFT WITH A MEANINGLESS COSMETIC AMENDMENT.
THERE IS NO COMPARISON BETWEEN THE VALUE OF THE TWO AMENDMENTS
AND WE HAVE NO ANSWER TO CRITICISMS FOR HAVING FAILED TO HAVE GONE
ALL-OUT IN SUPPORT OF THE FIRST.
WE BELIEVE WE HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY MISLED AND MOST EARNESTLY
APPEAL TO YOUR EXCELLENCY TO PERSUADE HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
TO MAKE SOME CONCESSION TO PLACE THE BRITISH IDENTITY OF
HONG KONG'S BRITISH SUBJECTS BEYOND DOUBT. IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT,
CONTRARY TO EARLIER ADVICE, THERE IS ANOTHER OFFICIAL VIEW THAT THE DESCRIPTION IN PASSPORTS MAY TAKE THE FORM OF **BRITISH (HONG KONG) CITIZENS WITHOUT LEGISLATIVE BACKING. WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL, SIR, IF YOU WOULD ALSO PURSUE THIS FOR US.
MACLEHOSE
Bil
noted pas 23/10
تھیلی
822.10
of 22
LIMITED
HK&GD
NTD
PS
PS/LPS
PS/LORD TREFGARNE PS/PUS
MR DONALD
MR ADAMS
COPIES TO:-
DR FORD
HK GOVT.OFFICE LONDON
CONFIDENTIAL
423