CONFIDENTIAL
of copy
127,
7
DD HONG KONG 06003OZ
GRS 219
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 060030Z
FM FCO 0517102 FEB 85
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 221 OF 5 FEBRUARY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
122) YOUR TEL:10 280:
1.
HONG KONG BILL:
4402
нки 04077
НКК
RECEIVED
6 FED 1985
1.
NATIONALITY/PASSPORTS
MINISTERS ARE CONTENT THAT YOU SHOULD TAKE THE LINE
PROPOSED IN PARA 6 OF TUR IN THE LEGCO DEBATE, SUBJECT TO THE
AMENDMENT OF (B) TO READ (B). HOWEVER,
WE APPRECIATE THAT THERE MAY BE CONCERN ABOUT POTENTIAL
STATELESSNESS ARISING AMONGST SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS. IT WOULD
NOT BE APPROPRIATE AS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE TO GRANT BRITISH
NATIONALITY INDEFINITELY AND WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS TO THE
DESCENDANTS OF BRITISH NATIONALS. HOWEVER PROBLEMS OF FURTHER
GENERATIONS AND POTENTIAL STATELESSNESS ARE BEING EXAMINED.'
THEY WILL USE A SIMILAR LINE ON A DEFENSIVE BASIS IF THE ISSUE
IS RAISED DURING THE COMMITTEE STAGE DEBATE.
2.
WE SHALL TELEGRAPH FURTHER AFTER THE COMMITTEE STAGE DEBATE ON
HOW WE PROPOSE TO PROCEED ON THIS MATTER. HOWEVER WE REGARD IT AS
IMPORTANT NOT TO GIVE ANY HINT AT THIS STAGE.
THAT BOC STATUS MIGHT BE ACQUIRED AUTOMATICALLY BY FURTHER
GENERATIONS.
3. SIRS Y CHUNG IS OF COURSE WRONG IN SUGGESTING THAT WE
WERE PREPARED TO AGREE TO INDEFINITE TRANSMISSIBILITY FOR
BDTCS IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. EXISTING PROVISIONS RELATE ONLY
TO TRANSMISSIBILITY FOR ONE GENERATION, AND THIS IS ALL WE
ASKED THE CHINESE TO AGREE TO. THE EXISTING PROPOSALS WILL
PROVIDE BOC STATUS TO THE GENERATION WHICH WOULD HAVE BENEFITTED
FROM THIS IF THEY WOULD OTHERWISE BE STATELESS.
HOWE
HONG KONG AGRE VENT
LIXITED
HD/HKD)
HD/FED
FD/PLANNING STAFF
ED/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (YR WALKER)
PS ·
PS/KR LUCE
PS/PUB
SIR E HARDING
ME WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
NR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS LR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR D B C CHRISTOPHER, CABINET OFF. SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST MREMERY BIE HOME OFFICE
CROYDON
CONFIDENTIAL MR. HYDE Home office
QAG