CONFIDENTIAL
2544
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(C)
(I)
(II)
(D)
(E)
WE
TO THEREIN IS A FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY. YOU HAVE
ACCEPTED THE PRINCIPLE THAT PASSPORTS FLOW FROM
NATIONALITY, AND NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND. AS YOU KNOW,
WOULD HAVE PREFERRED NOT TO MENTION PASSPORTS AT ALL IN
THIS ARTICLE, BUT HAVING AGREED TO DO SO WE MUST DO SO IN A
WAY WHICH CLEARLY LINKS PROVISION OF A PASSPORTS TO
ACQUISITION OF BN (0) STATUS. WE CERTAINLY ACCEPT
MR CHEUNG'S POINT THAT HONG KONG BDTCS WHO WILL BE ELIGIBLE
TO APPLY FOR BN(0) PASSPORTS HAVE AN ENTITLEMENT TO ACQUIRE
BN(0) STATUS. TO FIT IN WITH THE WAY IN WHICH BRITISH
NATIONALITY HAS GENERALLY BEEN ACQUIRED FOR MANY YEARS, THE
PROCESS OF ACQUISITION OF THE NEW STATUS WILL BE TERMED
REGISTRATION. AS WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR, REGISTRATION WILL
IN EFFECT BE INDIVISIBLE FROM THE PASSPORT ISSUING PROCESS,
AND WILL BE SIMPLIFIED TO THE VERY MINIMUM.
ARTICLE 4(3).
WE ACCEPT EXCO'S PROPOSAL THAT 'NOT' BE REPLACED BY 'HAS
CEASED TO BE'.
AS YOU HAVE POINTED OUT, THIS PROVISION IS FORMULATED TO
COMPLY WITH THE WORDING OF THE UK MEMORANDUM. ONLY THOSE
WHO ARE BDTCS (NEXT 4 WORDS UNDERLINED) ON 30 JUNE 1997 MAY
RETAIN BN(0) STATUS. THUS A PERSON WHO HAS CEASED TO BE A
BDTC BEFORE THAT DATE CANNOT, UNDER THE TERMS OF THE
MEMORANDUM, RETAIN BN(0) STATUS BEYOND THAT DATE.
ARTICLE 7(2). WE ACCEPT SIR S Y CHUNG'S PROPOSED
AMENDMENT. FOR CONSISTENCY WE HAVE SIMILARLY RE-ORDERED
THE POSITION OF BRITISH NATIONALS (OVERSEAS) IN THE OTHER
SUB-PARAGRAPHS OF THIS ARTICLE.
EXCO HAVE ASKED FOR A SCHEDULE SETTING OUT THE RIGHTS AND
DUTIES OF COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS. WE ARE SENDING YOU BY BAG
A SCHEDULE SETTING OUT THE RESULTS OF OUR RESEARCHES SO FAR
INTO THIS MATTER. EXCO ALSO ASKED TO KNOW THE
CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH A BN(0) COULD VOTE IN UK ELECTIONS
AND STAND FOR UK PARLIAMENT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT A
COMMONWEALTH CITIZEN CAN VOTE IN UK ELECTIONS IF HE OR SHE
IS ON THE ELECTORAL REGISTER. TO GET ON THE ELECTORAL
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CONFIDENTIAL