CONFIDENTIAL
55994
1
HONG KONG, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER 1 JULY 1997. BN(0)S WILL IN FACT HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME RETURNABILITY TO HONG KONG AS BDTCS
FROM THE TERRITORY. OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS. FOOTNOTE. THERE MAY
BE A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO, BY VIRTUE OF THE TERMS OF SECTION XIV OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION, WILL LOSE THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG AFTER 30 JUNE 1997. THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ENSURE, HOWEVER, THAT THIS WILL ONLY AFFECT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THE RIGHT OF ABODE (AND HENCE ARE RETURNABLE) ELSEWHERE. CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS. IT HAS BEEN AGREED BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS THAT THE PERMANENT IDENTITY CARDS REFERRED TO IN THIS ENDORSEMENT ISSUED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT UP TO 30 JUNE 1997 WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED AFTER THAT DATE UNTIL REPLACED BY PERMANENT IDENTITY CARDS ISSUED BY THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION GOVERNMENT AND
THAT SUCH REPLACEMENTS WILL BEAR THE SAME NUMBER.
NUMBERS
11.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT THREE AND A QUARTER MILLION HONG
KONG BDTCS OF WHOM JUST OVER ONE MILLION HOLD PASSPORTS IN THAT STATUS. ALL HONG KONG BDTCS WILL BE ENTITLED TO ACQUIRE BN(0) STATUS AND THE PASSPORT WHICH GOES WITH IT BUT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE
TO ESTIMATE HOW MANY WILL APPLY.
CONCLUSION
12.
THE ARRANGEMENTS SET OUT ABOVE, WHICH HAVE BEEN AGREED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, MEET THE EXPRESSED WISH OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN BRITISH NATIONALITY AND
THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL FREELY AFTER 1997, AS THEY DO NOW. ENDS
YOUNG
OCMIAN 5994
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 MR BARRINGTON
COPIES TO:
MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR GRAINGER, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR D MCDOUGALL, MVD
MR HYDE, HOME OFFICE
MR EMERY, BL DIV, HOME OFFICE, CROYDON
MF NICHOLSON, PASSPORT DEPT, HOME OFFICE.
ROOM 236, CLIVE HOUSE.
MR MCDONOUGH, B2 DIV, HOME OFFICE
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Confidential