GPS 600 CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 151124Z OCT 81
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 933 OF 15 OCTOBER
INFO HONG KONG GOVI OFFICE LONDON
400
403
FOR LORD PRIVY SEAL FROM GOVERNOR.
YOUR TELNO 787 AND MY 915: NATIONALITY BILL.
1. THINGS HAVE TAKEN A MOST UNHAPPY TURN HERE?
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15 OCT 1931
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
مثل
PA
$22.00-
16023/10
(415)
(A) UMELCO FELT THAT, HAD THEY NOT BEEN INFLUENCED BY SIR PAUL See HKCR $40/1 (415)
BRYAN'S AND YOUR ADVICE NOT TO LOBBY, LORD GEDDES AMENDMENT ON TUESDAY WOULD HAVE BEEN CARRIED: AND
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(B) IT NOW EMERGES AS A RESULT OF ADVICE FROM SIR PETER HENDERSON TO LORD GEDDES, THAT AN ADDITIONAL CLAUSE WITH THE VARIATION OF ''BRITISH (HONG KONG) CITIZEN (YOURTELNO 787 PARA 3) COULD NOT BE TABLED IN THE LORDS BECAUSE THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DEBATED ON A MOTION OF LORD ELWYN-JONES ON 23 JULY AND DEFEATED, ALBEIT IN A DIFFERENT CONTEXT. THERE IS THEREFORE NO QUESTION OF GEDDES' TABLING AN AMENDMENT FOR THE 3RD READING OTHER THAN TO REQUIRE THE ALTERNATIVE WORDING BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN''
BUT THE PRIME INTEREST HERE IS TO HAVE THE PHRASE "BRITISH (HONG
KONG) CITIZEN'' IN PASSPORTS (PARA 6 OF MYTEL NO 912) 398)
COULD NOT
3. IF MEMBERS HAD KNOWN THAT THE FALL-BACK POSITION
INCLUDE THIS VARIANT IT WOULD HAVE HAD NO ATTRACTION FOR THEM AND
THEY WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE LOBBIED ON TUESDAY.
3. THIS HAS RESULTED IN VERY SILLY TALK OF A CONSPIRACY TO MISLEAD
THEM, AND I WAS OBLIGED TO BRING A MEETING THIS EVENING TO AN
ABRUPT CLOSE.
4. LORD GEDDES IS NOW TABLING HIS FURTHER AMENDMENT IN ITS NECESSARILY TRUNCATED FORM. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT MEMBERS EVENTUAL ATTITUDE WILL BE, BUT THEY ARE CONCERNED AT THE PROSPECT OF BEING CRITICISES FOR SUPPORTING SUCH A MINOR AMENDMENT WHICH THEY CONSIDER OF LITTLE VALUE IN INTSELF
5. PERSONALLY I FEEL IF THE GOVERNMENT WERE TO ACCEPT THE NEW AMENDMENT, WHICH HAS NO EFFECT ON THE BILL WHATEVER, AND COUPLE IT WITH A FEW WARM WORDS ABOUT THEIR DESIRE TO EMPHASISE THE CONTINUING BRITISHNESS OF DEPENDENT TERRITORY RESIDENTS AND BRITISH RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THEM, IT WOULD HELP A GREAT DEAL IN THE PRESENT SITUATION. I AM CONCERNED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS ISSUE BEING INFLATED BY RESIGNATIONS FROM UMELCO.
1982
See (117)
427
1421
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See HKK 3401
6. BUT IT IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAT THE SHORT DESCRIPTION THEY WANT
SHOULD BE WRITTEN INTO THEIR PASSPORTS. TO ACHIEVE THIS,
THEY WOULD GALDLY ASK LORD GEDDES TO WITHDRAW HIS AMENDEMTN IF
THIS WOULD HELP. WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS OF ACHIEVING IT?
7. BEFORE SEEING PARA 7 OF YOUR TELNO 787 I HAD BELIEVED THAT WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE PASSPORTS WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER PURELY FOR THE FCO. GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER THE LEGAL ADVICE IS STILL THAT
THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT LEGISLATION. MALLEHOSE
LIMITED HK vGD NTD PS
PS/LPS
PS/LORD TREFGARING
PS/PUS
MA DONALD
MA ADAMS
copy To :
DR FORD.
CONFIDENTIAL
HONG KONG GOVT Office
LONDON
31
1982
fee
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