j
CONFIDENTIAL
4
acceptance is crucial to maintaining confidence and stability
in Hong Kong. A key point we have emphasised in explaining
BN(0) status to Hong Kong people and to third countries is that
BN (O)s will be fully eligible for British consular services
and protection (this facility is actually enshrined in the
UK Memorandum associated with the Sino-British Joint Declaration
on the Question of Hong Kong). Any perception that we were
seeking to avoid honouring this commitment in full would very
seriously damage not only our campaign to gain acceptance
for BN(0) status and passport, but also the whole fragile
edifice of confidence in the future of Hong Kong. The political
arguments in favour of retaining a commitment to last resort
repatriation to Hong Kong beyond 1997 for BN (O)s seem therefore
to be conclusive.
9.
Finally, we should also take account of:
a) the possibility that there may be a few non-ethnic
Chinese BDTCs in Hong Kong who might decide not to
take up their entitlement to BN (0) status. Under the
terms of the Hong Kong Nationality Order in Council
any Hong Kong BDTC who for any reason does not acquire
BN (0) status before 1 July 1997 and who has no other
nationality will automatically become a BOC on
1 July 1997; and
CONFIDENTIAL
/b) the