CONFIDENTIAL
DD HONG KONG (030030Z)
GRS 210
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 030030Z
FM FCO 021230Z JAN 85
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 4 OF 2 JANUARY
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
ithh 040/4
RECEIVED IN ALMISTRY
- 4 JAN 1985
1857
по
Ru
OUR TELNO 2568 OF 1984: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NEW NATIONALITY
TITLE
1. THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE HOME SECRETARY HAVE NOW
AGREED THAT THE TITLE OF THE NEW NATIONALITY STATUS FOR FORMER
HONG KONG BDTCS MOST LIKELY TO PROVE GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE IS
'BRITISH NATIONAL: SPECIAL STATUS'. PLEASE PUT THIS TO EXCO AT
THE MEETING ON 3 JANUARY.
2.
EXCO MEMBERS MAY RECALL THAT AT THEIR DISCUSSION ON 20
DECEMBER THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAD MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF
SENDING A LETTER TO WU XUEQIAN ABOUT THE TITLE WE HAD ORIGINALLY
PROPOSED. IN DISCUSSION HOWEVER EXCO MEMBERS CLEARLY SAW NO
PROSPECT OF THE CHINESE ACCEPTING THAT TITLE, NOR DID THEY WISH
TO PRESS FOR IT PROVIDED THAT THEIR REQUIREMENTS COULD BE MET.
WE BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE ARE NOW PROPOSING MEETS THOSE
REQUIREMENTS. THE TITLE REFERS CLEARLY TO 'BRITISH NATIONALITY'
AND CERTAINLY CARRIES NO IMPLICATION OF A SECOND-CLASS STATUS.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE DOES NOT PROPOSE TO WRITE TO WU AT THIS
STAGE. IF EXCO ARE CONTENT WE SHALL GO AHEAD AND PUT OUR NEW
PROPOSAL TO THE CHINESE THROUGH THE EMBASSY IN PEKING.
3. WE SHALL SEND INSTRUCTIONS TO PEKING IN THE LIGHT OF THE
EXCO DISCUSSION.
HOWE
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
ゴ
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
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY, PUSD
T
CONFIDENTIAL