THAT THE STATUS IS UNIQUE TO EX-BDTC'S CONNECTED WITH HONG
KONG. OTHERWISE THERE WILL BE CONFUSION AND PROBLEMS MAY ARISE IN THIRD COUNTRIES''.
(F) WE ALSO THINK THAT PARA 11 NEEDS EXPANSION, ON THE FOLLOWING
LINES:
**THEREFORE PROPOSE TO DESCRIBE NEW STATUS AS 'BRITISH
↑
·
NATIONAL: HONG KONG IN OUR NATIONALITY LAW. IN PASSPORTS, DESCRIPTION OF NATIONAL STATUS WILL BE "BRITISH: HONG KONG'' BELIEVE THIS IS MINIMUM NECESSARY TO MAKE CLEAR TO THIRD GOVERNMENTS NATURE OF DOCUMENT AND STATUS OF HOLDER, WITHOUT IMPLYING CHINESE ACCEPTANCE OF DUAL NATIONALITY. (WILL NATURALLY BE NO REFERENCE TO CHINESE NATIONALITY, EITHER IN BRITISH NATIONALITY LAW OR IN PASSPORTS CORRESPONDING TO NEW STATUS(.
2. IF THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS TO RAISE THE QUESTION OF THE TITLE OF THE NEW STATUS WITH WU, THERE MAY BE SOME ADVANTAGE IN WARNING THE CHINESE BEFOREHAND. THIS WOULD BEST BE DONE WITH LU PING. THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SOUND HIM OUT ON 13 DECEMBER WHEN THE GOVERNOR AND OTHER OFFICIALS WILL BE MEETING HIM AT A LUNCH TO BE GIVEN BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY. THE DISADVANTAGE OF SPEAKING TO LUP PING IN ADVANCE IS THAT HE MAY REACT NEGATIVELY. YOU MAY HOWEVER THINK THIS IS A RISK WORTH TAKING: WHATEVER LU PING'S REACTION IT WOULD STILL BE OPEN TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO RAISE THE MATTER WITH WU. WE WOULD NEED INSTRUCTIONS DESKBY 13003OZ.
3. ONE POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL POINT IS THE QUESTION OF THE REGISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT AT THE UNITED NATIONS, ON WHICH CORRESPONDENCE RESTS WITH HONG KONG TELNO 3596. MINISTERS MAY TAKE THE VIEW THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO LET THE SIGNATURE DUST SETTLE BEFORE RAISING THIS MATTER. BUT THERE MIGHT BE SOME ADVANTAGE IN PUTTING DOWN A MARKER AT A TIME WHEN THE CHINESE WILL PRESUMABLY BE MORE RECEPTIVE TO BRITISH IDEAS THAN MAY BE THE CASE LATER ON. IT MAY ALSO BE SOME TIME BEFORE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THE MATTER WITH WU HIMSELF RECURS.
HADDON-CAVE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
PROTOCOLD
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT. LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE
SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195
CONFIDENTIAL