AS REGARDS THE POINTS OF DETAIL RAISED BY UNOFFICIALS, VI POINTED OUT THAT:
7.
(A) THE TIMING OF THE ISSUE OF EN(0) PASSPORTS
HAD NOT YET BEEN DECIDED, BUT WOULD HAVE TO BE BEFORE 30 JUNE 1997
(B) THE NORMAL PERIOD OF VALIDITY OF ALL BRITISH
PASSPORTS WAS TEN YEARS AND THIS WAS EXPECTED TO APPLY TO FUTURE BN(0) PASSPORTS
(C) ENTRY CERTIFICATES WERE OPTIONAL AND BDTC
PASSPORT HOLDERS WHO CHOSE NOT TO OBTAIN SUCH CERTIFICATES WERE NOT THEREBY DEBARRED FROM ENTRY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM
(D) THE RULES REGARDING REGISTRATION OVERSEAS
(1.E. NOTE 5 ON THE INSIDE BACK COVER OF THE BRITISH PASSPORT) WOULD APPLY TO BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS (SEMI COLON) AND
(E) HMG'S POSITION IN DEALING WITH BRITISH NATIONALS
WHO WERE ALSO NATIONALS OF ANOTHER COUNTRY WAS COSISTENT WITH ACCEPTED INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE AND APPLIED EQUALLY TO BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS.
AS REGARDS THE TREATMENT THAT WOULD BE ACCORDED TO ETHNIC MINORITIES IN HONG KONG, THE CHIEF SECRETARY STRESSED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO QUESTION OF STATELESSNESS AMONG THOSE WHO WERE HONG KONG BDTCS ON 30 JUNE 1997 OR AMONG CHILDREN BORN TO THEM AFTER THAT DATE.
THEY WOULD EITHER BE ELIGIBLE FOR BN(0) STATUS OR ACQUIRE BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENSHIP. HE POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT IT WAS A LONG STANDING VIEW OF HMG THAT IT HAS NOT APPROPRIATE, AS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE. TO GRANT BRITISH NATIONALITY INDEFINITELY AND WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS TO THE DESCENDANTS OF BRITISH NATIONALS, BUT THAT THE PROBLEMS OF SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS AND POTENTIAL STATELESSNESS WERE BEING EXAMINED BY HMG IN CONSULTATION WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
a.
HE CONCLUDED HIS REMARKS BY ASSURING UNOFFICIALS THAT THE DRAFT ORDER-IN-COUNCIL ON NATIONALITY WOULD BE PUBLICISED IN HONG KONG WHEN IT WAS INTRODUCED INTO PARLIAMENT TO ENABLE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO EXAMINE THE DETILED ARRRANGEMENTS AND TO MAKE THEIR VIEWS KNOWN IF THEY WISHED.
SENT ON 6.2.85 PM CC+
A : S(GD) (5)
HE. CS. AG, PA, DPA, PS/GH, DIS, AA/CS, S FOR S, D OF IMM,