GRS 1950
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK. 040/4+..
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
17 OCT 1985
TOP COPY
INDEX
REGISTE
Action Taken
468
TO DESKBY 161200Z FCO
TELNO 2178
OF 16074OZ OCTOBER 85
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING
467
MIPT: HONG KONG AGREEMENT : NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL
PA
m
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF DRAFT HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASE
BEGINS
FOLLOWING THREE WORD UNDERLINED. DRAFT PRESS RELEASE. FOLLOWING FOUR WORDS UNDERLINED. FUTURE NATIONALITY DETAILS RELEASED
DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED FUTURE NATIONALITY STATUS OF HONG KONG
BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS (BDTCS) AS OUTLINED IN THE
UK MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION WERE RELEASED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN HONG KONG AND LONDON TODAY.
2. THE PROPOSALS ARE CONTAINED IN A UK GOVERNMENT DRAFT ORDER IN
COUNCIL ANNEXED TO AN EXPLANATORY WHITE PAPER. COPIES OF THE WHITE
PAPER, IN ENGLISH OR CHINESE, ARE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE FROM ALL
DISTRICT OFFICES, IMMIGRATION OFFICES, AND THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICA-
TIONS CENTRE.
3. A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THERE WOULD BE AMPLE TIME FOR MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS OR SUGGEST AMENDMENTS, AND
LEGCO UNOFFICIALS COULD ALSO REQUEST AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE. COMMENTS
SHOULD BE SENT TO THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY AT CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.
WHITE PAPER
4. THE WHITE PAPER EXPLAINS THE BACKGROUND TO THE NATIONALITY
PROVISIONS AND PROVIDES A COMMENTARY ON THE VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF
THE DRAFT ORDER IN COUNCIL. THE TEXT OF THE DRAFT ORDER ITSELF
WHICH WILL BE DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT IS AT ANNEX 1 TO THE WHITE PAPER.
ANNEX 2 LISTS THE WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE MAY BE CONNECTED WITH HONG
KONG AND SO COME WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE ORDER.
5. THE WHITE PAPER IS IN FULFILMENT OF A UK GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKING
GIVEN WHEN THE HONG KONG ACT WAS GOING THROUGH PARLIAMENT. THE
GOVERNMENT AGREED TO PUBLISH THE DETAILED NATIONALITY ARRANGEMENTS. WHICH ARE A CONSEQUENCE OF THE TERMS OF THE UK MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, AND TO ARRANGE FOR THE PROPOSALS IN THE OPAFT ORDER TO BE DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT BEFORE THE DRAFT ORDER WAS FORMALLY LAID.
CONFIDENTIAL
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