CONFIDENTIAL

status, if they would otherwise be stateless.

5.

There are also a very few BOCs already in Hong Kong

who acquired their status under

under the BNA 1981, being former

CUKC s who had no qualifying connection with the UK or with

a dependent territory. They are not affected by the Order

in Council.

(c) What difference

endorsements will

passports?

6. As you know we are

that we should insert

concerning

the BN (0)

endorsement

endorsement

a holders'

passport to

is

in terms of right of abode

there be between BN (0) and BOC

be

trying to get the Chinese to agree

an endorsement in BN (0) passports

right of abode in Hong Kong. For

acceptable world-wide such an

The Chinese will not make any

BN (0) passports because the

will in their eyes be Chinese

accept dual nationality. It is

necessary.

themselves in

great majority of BN (0) s

nationals and they do not

we therefore who will have to enter the endorsement and it

will have to refer indirectly to right of abode in Hong

Kong since after 30 June 1997 the UK will not be in a

position to grant this.

1.

BOCS by definition will not be Chinese nationals, but

will nevertheless have the right of abode in the Hong Kong

SAR. After 1997 therefore we would expect the Chinese

по difficulty in following current

themselves en tering right

see

procedure and endorsemen ts in these "foreigners'" passports.

>

to

world-wide

of abode

Since the

Chinese will en ter the endorsements these will be able to

state directly that the holder has right of abode in the

SAR (unlike the en tries which we shall put in to

BN (0)

passports). The UK will also be able to offer consular

the Hong Kong SAR to BOCs since they will be

regarded by the Chinese as foreigners. This protection

will not be available to BN (0) s.

protection in

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