A
SECRET
2
inserting the national status 'British' in passports
held by BDTCS connected with Hong Kong. Indeed all
categories of citizen etc in the British Nationality
Act 1981 are 'British nationals' in international law.
This agreement was of particular significance because
it followed earlier controversy with Hong Kong in the
course of which we refused to agree to a proposed status demption
of 'British (Hong Kong) Citizen' which would be difficult
to distinguish from British Citizens, who ipso facto
Shake
ens)
have the right of abode here; and we had subsequently
argued that 'British national' could not be conjoined
with the citizenship of BDTC since the latter was the
only correct status in the field of municipal legisla-
tion. Our lawyers' agreement was in response to the
Hong Kong argument that it was appropriate for passports
to show also the holder's status in international law.
This derives directly from the municipal status, viz
BDTC. Now that the Hong Kong government are aware that
we see no legal objection to the inserting of the status
'British national' they will find it incomprehensible
Mobably
and/sinister if we refuse to do so, and will quite
and
reasonably expect an explanation. I notice that Ilyde's
addl
letter does not ress this important aspect of the
problem.
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that
The second foreign policy difficulty is/with the Prime
Minister's, visits to Peking and Hong Kong this month
may
we
enter
entering an extended period of negotiation about Terimy's the ons future in relation to the expiry of the
New Territories lease in 1997. It is most important
to do all we can to assure Hong Kong that HMG will be
a firm defender of their interests throughout this-
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/period-