CONFIDENTIAL
early be counter productive.
It would also cut across Ministerial
commitments to
do
(and,
by
definition,
all that
the
we
can
to ensure
status of
the
that BN (0)
are holders)
passports
accepted
in
third countries.
4.
I
have the following
detailed
amendments
to
your
draft
submission:
Paragraph
"including
Kongers" Hong 4(a): Replace
"including Hong Kong BDTC's";
in
line
3 with
Paragraph 4(e): Replace the present text
of item (e) with:
"Included also will be:
(e)
British
Nationals (Overseas). created by Order in Council, which all persons are BDTC's by virtue of a connection with Hong Kong will be able to acquire (probably from retain for the rest of their lives".
A new
status to be
who
1987) and
Paragraph
10: Replace
the three final sentences of this
para with
the following text:
"Hong Kong
is a particularly sensitive
case.
There
is
strong
of
there suspicion
Sino-British Agreement the
that,
following
the
on
Hong
signature
Kong's future, HMG will distance themselves from Hong Kong. Any decision to issue "second class" passports to British Nationality
these suspicions
considerable difficulties for us.
to Hong Kong
either
(Overseas) s
would
BDTCs
or
fuel
and
create
We would certainly
expect
Executive
strong a
Council to
such whom
a proposal
would
be
adverse reaction from Hong Kong's
wholly unacceptable.
Ministerial
ensure
commitments
We would also undermine
do to
that all
when issued,
that BN(0) passports,
accepted in third countries".
we
can to
are readily
CONFIDENTIAL