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4. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS ADVICE,
SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF MINISTERS
COULD BE ASKED TO CONSIDER AGAIN VERY SERIOUSLY WHETHER LEGAL CAUTION
*IS WORTH THE LIKELY POLITICAL COST IN HONG KONG. THE WORDING OF
THE ENDORSEMENT WILL HAVE TO BE EXPLAINED TO A WELL-INFORMED AND
UNCONVINCED AUDIENCE, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF DISTINGUISHED LAWYERS.
WHILE THEY UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLE OF NOT COMMITTING SUCCESSOR
GOVERNMENTS, IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO CONVINCE THEM, ON THE BASIS OF THE ARGUMENTS THUS FAR ADVANCED, THAT THE PRINCIPLE WOULD
IN PRACTICE BE COMPROMISED BY OMITTING THE FIRST CLAUSE. IT WOULD
LEAVE A SOUR TASTE ALL ROUND IF THE OUTCOME OF THE EXERCISE LED
TO DISAPPOINTMENT AND RECRIMINATION, INSTEAD OF A RECOGNITION OF
HMG'S WISH TO RESPOND TO THE CONCERNS OF ITS HONG KONG
CITIZENS.
YOUDE
:
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: NATIONALITY
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/NTD
RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)
DEP HD/PUSD
PS
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING MR WILSON
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
MR HUM MR M
LEGAL ADVISERS
FID
L
SAUNDERS
LAW OFFICERS
PEPT
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