CONFIDENTIAL
Соро
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RECEIVED IN REMASTAY PO. $1
19 OCT 1981
LORD
PRIVY
SEAL
16/10 to G20
Ps. PSI PUS
Ps
PS Lord Trefyene
Mur Donald
Mi Adlan
NTD
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1
Я
Jos
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PIQUSTRY
PA
Action Taken
22.6
May 23/10
16 October 1981
See (42)
See
(415
(413
(418)
4-30
BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL : CITIZENS OF THE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
Thank you for your letter of 13 October. I know you will
understand that I am now reverting to this subject only because I
foresee serious problems for our relations with Hong Kong if things
go wrong. I have indeed just received a personal message from the
Governor of Hong Kong which underlines his deep concern over the
attitude of Unofficials there. He believes that some may be considering
resignation on this issue. However, I think that we can deal with the problem without damaging HMG's interests over the Bill.
Let me repeat that I agree that our main objective must be to
defeat the Gibraltar amendment. I understand the difficulties of making
an advance estimate of the mood of the Commons on this subject.
I can
see that it would not now be practicable therefore for the Government
themselves to introduce an amendment which would offer a fall-back to
Hong Kong.
t
However Lord Geddes has put down another amendment on nomenclature
at Third Reading but this time it seems to me that it is not objectionable or damaging to the purpose of the Bill. Apparently he
has been told by Sir Peter Henderson that he cannot put down an amendment,
The Rt Hon William Whitelaw CH MP
Home Secretary
Queen Anne's Gate
London SW1
/as
CONFIDENTIAL