CONFIDENTIAL
20437
2
:
LIAISON GROUP, OUR PRIMARY CONCERN WAS TO DESIGNATE OFFICIALS INCLUDING HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO, BY VIRTUE OF THEIR
EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE, ARE MOST ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE EFFECTIVELY
TO THE WORK OF THE GROUP. THE GROUP'S TERMS OF REFERENCE
REQUIRE IT TO CONSIDER AT AN EARLY STAGE, INTER ALIA, ACTION TO
BE TAKEN BY THE TWO GOVERNMENTS TO ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE OF
HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION IN THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND
TRADE (GATT), THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL
THUS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO DESIGNATE
ARRANGEMENTS.
MR ERIC HO AS ONE OF THE FIVE MEMBERS ON THE BRITISH SIDE.
5. THIS DECISION CAUSED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT SOME DIFFICULTY
AS THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HOLD DIFFERENT VIEWS ON
THE NATIONALITY STATUS OF HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
CITIZENS (BDTCS) OF CHINESE ETHNIC ORIGIN (THE CHINESE REGARD
THEM AS CHINESE NATIONALS). THE RESPECTIVE POSITIONS OF THE
TWO GOVERNMENTS WERE SET OUT IN THE TWO MEMORANDA EXCHANGED AT
THE TIME THE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED.
IT WAS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO FIND A WAY ROUND THESE
DIFFICULTIES. ON 11 MAY MR HO APPLIED FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP
UNDER SECTION 4(5) OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981. THE
HOME SECRETARY CONSIDERED MR HO'S APPLICATION IN THE LIGHT OF
THE CRITERIA SET OUT IN THAT SECTION AND HAS DECIDED TO REGISTER
HIM. AS A BRITISH CITIZEN MR HO'S STATUS WILL NOT BE RELEVANT
TO THE DIFFERENCE OF VIEW REFLECTED IN THE EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA.
THE DECISION DOES NOT ALTER IN ANY WAY IN THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT'S VIEWS, AND THE POSITION IN BRITISH LAW, THAT BDTCS
(WHATEVER THEIR ETHNIC ORIGIN) ARE BRITISH NATIONALS.
COMPOSITION OF THE LAND COMMISSION.
7.
ANNEX 3 OF THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES THAT A LAND COMMISSION WILL
BE ESTABLISHED ON ENTRY INTO TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT COMPOSED
OF AN EQUAL NUMBER OF OFFICIALS DESIGNATED BY THE TWO GOVERNMENTS
RESPECTIVELY. THE TWO GOVERNMENTS HAVE AGREED THAT EACH SIDE
WILL DESIGNATE THREE MEMBERS. ON THE BRITISH SIDE THEY WILL BE:
MR JR TODD CVO (HONG KONG DIRECTOR OF LANDS)
MR N M GLEESON (HONG KONG REGISTRAR GENERAL)
MR JC CHAN OBE (DEPUTY SECRETARY (GENERAL DUTIES) HONG KONG)
judyante you notatum po
2
CONFIDENTIAL
!