902
MINISTER
OF STATE
De Lynar
༤༠ མ་
HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
LONDON SWIH 9AT
Minister, My Sital continues to unite despite being told it is not you ps/m- Ragar
subject PS/M
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My
Hill
Mpa 25/3
217
сту
Сс
Ps/hady Young
HKD NTD.
2,2516.
Mr Sital wrote to you on 26 February and the letter was passed to me for reply.
As you will know the Hong Kong Nationality Order in Council has now been approved by Parliament. As the Home Secretary explained during the debate on 13 May, we gave very careful consideration to the request by the Council of Hong Kong Indian Associations that non-ethnic Chinese British Dependent Territories citizens in Hong Kong should be granted British citizenship rather than British Overseas citizenship if they would otherwise be stateless in 1997. But we did not consider it right to grant their request.
I attach for your information a copy of the Home Secretary's letter of 29 April to Mr Sital, the Vice President of the Council of Hong Kong Indian Associations, explaining the reasons for our decision. The Government believe that the nationality provisions in the Order in Council, together with the guarantees of right of abode in Hong Kong contained in the agreement with the Chinese Government provide the best and most sensible ways to secure the future of the non-ethnic Chinese British Dependent Territories citizens in Hong Kong. But we have made it clear that, as we continue to implement the Joint Declaration, we shall continue to pay particular attention to the position of the ethnic minorities and to the provisions which protect their interests.
RECEIVED
HKK 340/1
29GISTRY
3 1 JUL 1986
Own ever
INDC
Mrs Lynda Chalker MP
Y
(DAVID WADDINGTON)
Taken