CONFIDENTIAL
5447 1
NATIONALITY LAW IS NOT IN FACT DRAWN UP ALONG RACIAL LINES: THE FACT THAT IT MAY HAVE A RACIAL EFFECT IN HONG KONG DERIVES NOT FROM THE NATIONALITY LAW ITSELF, BUT FROM THE CHINESE REFUSAL TO RECOGNISE OUR RIGHT TO GRANT A SPECIAL HONG KONG RELATED FORM OF SECONDLY BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO CHINESE RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG.
4.
-
ON
THE GRANT OF BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO MINORITIES WOULD NOT IN FACT PREVENT THE THIRD GENERATION BORN AFTER 1997 BECOMING STATELESS
MISS DUNN'S IF THE PERSONS CONCERNED REMAINED IN HONG KONG. PROPOSAL SEEMS TO BE BASED ON A MISUNDERSTANDING ON THIS POINT.
WE FULLY UNDERSTAND YOUR REASONS FOR NOT WISHING TO HAVE A DIVISION BETWEEN OFFICIALS AND UNOFFICIALS IN THIS DEBATE. THE OTHER HAND WE WOULD VIEW WITH SOME DISMAY THE UNQUALIFIED SUPPORT OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR EVERY POINT IN MISS DUNN'S LETTER. WE WONDER WHETHER THE ANSWER MIGHT NOT BE TO INCLUDE SUITABLE MATERIAL IN THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S SPEECH BY WAY OF 'EXPLANATION OF VOTE' TO QUALIFY TO SOME EXTENT THE OFFICIAL SUPPORT FOR MISS DUNN'S LETTER.
HOWE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/NTD
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/R RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING MR WILSON
2
COPIES TO:
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT,
LEGAL ADVISERS
MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD
MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE
MR EMERY, B4 DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON
MR NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE,
ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.
MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE
MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL