Lord Gordon Lennox
Mr Rifkind
PS
ce to:-
PS/Lord Belstead
Mr Donald
CONFIDENTIAL covering Secret
PA
Абаче
M. Mare Mr. Dar tr. cabala
NOTIA
HKGD
MVD
WED
Sir Ian Sinclair
Mr Rushford
HKK 340/1
118
Af919.
Sve (122.
PROPOSAL BY HONG KONG TO DESCRIBE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS AS 'BRITISH NATIONALS' IN PASSPORTS
125
HKK345/4
29
PROBLEM
•
1. To react to the Home Office's reply to our proposals that BDTCS should be described as 'British nationals' in their passports.
RECOMMENDATION
2.
I recommend
a.
b.
C.
BACKGROUND
in view of the overriding political consideration (paragraphs 13 and 14) and in spite of the difficulties involved from the nationality, immigration and passport practice aspects, the Secretary of State should press the Hong Kong case and seek a favourable decision if possible in time for the PM's visit to Hong Kong.
the Secretary of State should write to the Home Secretary on the lines of the attached draft,
HKGD, MVD, WED and Legal Advisers concur.
3. Since the inception of the new policy on citizenship, leading to the passing of the British Nationality Act 1981, Hong Kong have been concerned at the removal of CUKC status from residents of dependent territories. They have seen the changes as representing a weakening of the links between the UK and Hong Kong, at a time of increasing uncertainty about the territory's future.
4.
During the passage of the Bill in Parliament Hong Kong sought a number of concessions. Some of these were agreed or alternatively changes were made which partly met Hong Kong's requests. were subsequently applied to all dependent territories. significant of these were that:
They The most
/a.
CONFIDENTIAL covering Secret