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circulated
For this reason I fear that this
relat
to the briefing document
by the Whip
could rebound against us in
Parliament.
previously
argument
I think our
arguments would need to be based on those already
the pinciples of the need
deployed in Parliament,
Consistency
and on
with the principles of the RNA.
2. I do wonder however if it would not help to give
some more quotable reassurance about the future of the
minorities: as you will recall this was hinted at by more
Cimmons
than one Conservative
on the draft Urder.
back bencher during the last debate
Would i t for instance not be
to amend the urder now in
possible to say that the Government does not consider
that it would be appropriate
such a way as to give British citizenship to the minority
communities, since it believes that the Joint Declaration
is entirely sufficient to safeguard their interests. I f
however at any future stage it appeared that that was not
the case, then the Government considered that a future
government would have to reconsider the possibility very
seriously. This would, i t i s true, virtually commit a
future government to reviewing the position, but it would
not actually commit them
them to taking the action specified.
In this respect I do not think that this would go much
than the assurance which has already
further in substance
been given that in the unlikely event that any BN(O) s
and
BOCs came under
pressure to leave
Hong Kong and had
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