GRS 250
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 21193OZ FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
KKK 04014,
RECEIVED IN WÜGISTRY
2 1 JAN 1985
57
DESKBY 21103OZ HONGAID
DESKEY 21103OZ PEKING
FM HONG KONG 21093OZ JAN 85
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 172 OF 21 JANUARY
No
Ro
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON AND PEKING.
M.I.P.T.
57
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
NEW NATIONALITY TITLE.
FOLLOWING ARE POINTS WE PROPOSE SHOULD BE MADE TO EXPLAIN THE
CHOICE OF TITLE.
BEGINS.
1. THE STATUS TO BE ACQUIRED AND RETAINED UNDER THE TERMS OF
SUB-PARAGRAPH (A) OF THE UK MEMORANDUM IS A NEW FORM OF BRITISH
NATIONALITY. THE TITLE MUST THEREFORE BE DIFFERENT FROM ANY OF
THOSE CURRENTLY PROVIDED FOR IN THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981.
2. THE TITLE SHOULD BE UNIQUE SO THAT IT CAN BE READILY IDENTIFIED
WITH PERSONS WHO ON 30 JUNE 1997 ARE BDTC'S BY VIRTURE OF A
CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO FACILITATE IMMIGR-
ATION CLEARANCE IN THIRD COUNTRIES.
3. THE TITLE MUST CLEARLY STIPULATE THAT THE STATUS TO WHICH IT
CORRESPONDS IS A FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY.
4. AT THE SAME TIME THE CHOICE OF TITLE WILL HAVE TO TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED AFTER 1997 WHEN HONG KONG WILL HAVE CEASED TO BE BRITISH TERRITORY.
5. SQUARE BRACKETS BEGIN AS REGARDS THE CHINESE TRANSLATION OF THE
TITLE SQUARE BRACKETS END :
THE TITLE TO BE INCORPORATED IN THE ORDER-IN-COUNCIL AND USED ON
FUTURE BRITISH PASSPORTS WILL BE IN ENGLISH ONLY. THERE IS NO NEED
FOR A CHINESE TITLE. THE ONE USED IN TRANSLATING THE SECRETARY OF
STATE'S SPEECH IS A DIRECT TRANSLATION FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES
ONLY.
CONFIDENTIAL