CONFIDENTIAL
1
Hong Kong
The
Acts
to granting Commonwealth Citizen status to
BN (O)s.
obviously wish to keep the benefits of
of that status however.
Home Office's Legal Advisers have pointed out that SO many
involve Commonwealth Citizenship that it would be extremely
cumbersome to schedule them to the Order. However it would be
possible to include a clause in the Order saying that BN(O) status
would confer the same advantages as Commonwealth Citizenship without making BN (O)s Commonwealth Citizens. The Home Office will argue
that this is
likely to cause as much offence to the Chinese as
making them Commonwealth citizens. They will say that as the
Chinese first proposed that ex-BDTCs should become BOC s (who are Commonwealth Citizens) they should not object to BN(O)s being the
same. Hong Kong and Peking are however firm in opposing this. In
our reply to Hong Kong we should explain the practical significance of Commonwealth Citizenship.
Passports
[References:
Nicholson's letter of 11 January
31)K 1391
L
Hong Kong telno 338
15. Large measure of agreement.
concurrently.
BN (O)
and BDTC passports to run
16. We should seek Home Office
agreement to Hong Kong's proposals
for the set out
out of the application form (para A of TUR).
17. The alternative in para 4 (c) of Nicholson's letter
letter would almost
"ertainly be unacceptable to the Chines.
18. We as sume from the telegram identity cards before 1 July 1987.
to
refer to the identity cards.
confirmation.
that Hong Kong
Kong will issue new This will enable BN (O) passports
We have asked Hong Kong for
19. We should check with the Home Office that
refer to the Secretary of State in passports
it is acceptable to
is sued in Hong Kong
CONFIDENTIAL