}
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future of the Colony will be at its peak.
17. If the Home Office is unable to accept these arguments they may be prepared to agree to simply making an amendment to the general Notes at the back of the passport which would highlight our right to protect British nationals.
18.
A complicating factor is the probability of an amendment to the BNA 81 moved by Lord Bruce of Donnington at the end of October which will confer British citizenship on all Falkland Islanders who will not otherwise acquire that status.
We may expect Hong Kong and other dependencies to press for similar treatment. Their resentment would be all the deeper if we decline even to designate them 'British nationals'. In the present sensitive circumstances it is important that Hong Kong should be assured that the FCO is active in pursuance of the Colony's interests.
CONCLUSION
19. The FCO's position on the political aspect is inevitably in conflict with that of the Home Office who are properly concerned with immigration and nationality aspects. We therefore suggest that the Secretary of State should write to the Home Secretary putting the macro-political viewpoint as in the attached draft. It may not be possible to agree a position before the Prime Minister leaves for the Far East on 16 September but she should be aware of the views of the FCO and theHome Office before she departs. The Secretary of State's letter and the Home Secretary's reply should therefore be copied to Number 10. There may be the possibility of a decision before she visits Hong Kong on 26 September.
9 September 1982
Luthan
F H Brown
Nationality and Treaty Department
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