CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESK BY 17103OZ FCO
TELNO 812
OF 17095OZ MARCH 86
ннн
HAA 040/4.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
17 MAR 1986
DESK OFFICER
350
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
350
FOLLOWING FOR LAYDEN, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT FROM GOVERNOR.
MIPT : NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL.
1. FOLLOWING IS CONCLUDING PASSAGE OF MISS DUNN'S PROPOSED SPEECH:
BEGINS
ON THE 15TH JANUARY THE CHIEF SECRETARY PROMISED TO INFORM THIS
COUNCIL AS SOON AS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE IS RECEIVED. BUT NOTHING MORE HAS BEEN SAID IN THIS COUNCIL. THE MINISTER OF STATE, MR. TIMOTHY RENTON ASSURED US THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD AGREE TO OUR REQUEST FOR THE ENDORSEMENT IN THE BM(0) PASSPORT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT HOLDERS WILL NOT REQUIRE ENTRY VISAS FOR (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) BONA FIDE VISITS TO THE UNITED KINGDOM. BUT WE ARE STILL WANTING FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO LET US KNOW WHAT THE TERMS OF THAT ENDORSEMENT WILL BE. IN THE MEANTIME, THE NON-ETHNIC MINORITIES AND THE EX-SERVICEMEN WAIT TO SEE IF THEIR REQUESTS HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.
THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER WAS DEBATED IN BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN JANUARY. LORD GLENARTHUR TOLD THE LORDS THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER WHETHER ANY OF ITS PROVISIONS WOULD NEED AMENDMENT AS A RESULT OF THE VIEWS OF THIS COUNCIL AND THEN - QUOTE HIS WORDS - ''WE SHALL THEN FORMALLY
LAY A DRAFT NATIONALITY ORDER BEFORE EASTER.''
HOPE THEREFORE THAT YOU, SIR, WILL CONVEY TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT OUR INCREASING APPREHENSION ABOUT THE PASSAGE OF TIME. NO ONE SHOULD THINK THAT THE STRENGTH OF HONG KONG'S FEELINGS ON THIS MATTER ARE ANY LESS TODAY THAN THEY WERE TEN WEEKS AGO. WE EXPECT
CONFIDENTIAL