NATIONALITY
CONFIDENTIAL
Селищи
And with рест
Edges"
[IF IT IS DECIDED TO AGREE TO THE "GREED EDGED" ORDER IN
COUNCIL PROCEDURE]
In light of the views expressed by Noble Lords on all
sides of the House tonight the Government is prepared to agree to give the House the opportunity, if it wishes, to
debate the draft Order on nationality in
on nationality in a preliminary way. before the House is asked to give its final approval If
the Government would then withdraw the Order
necessary,
and revise it to take account of views expressed by Noble
Lords and in Hong Kong, before resubmitting it to be dealt
with in the normal way under affirmative resolution
procedures.
I believe that this procedure will meet the concerns
to Lons
expressed in this evening's debate. I must emphasise
however, that while the United Kingdom Memorandum is
formally distinguishable from the Joint Declaration, the
Government would be bound to oppose any attempt to introduce into the Order any provisions that were contrary
to the Memorandum. The fact of the matter is that the
Memorandum forms an integral part of the whole package
which was negotiated with the Chinese Government and was
subsequently found acceptable by the people of Hong Kong.
We should be obliged to resist strongly any amendments to
the draft Order that would jeopardise the overall package.
CONFIDENTIAL