1990-01-16 14:58 CUT RADIO TECH SERVICES,
01 928 8607
P.11
TRANSCRIPT D: FOREIGN BEC
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P.C.
HONG KONG
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16 JAN 90
0-
FOREIGN SECRETARY (COITD);
discussions we have had, the discussions I have had with OMELCO, the
points raised with me here, and the points which have been discussed
with the People's Republic, go wiper and they cover the kind of
point you mention.
QUESTION:
If the best way of political development is to agree on
something that will continue, will you do the same in enacting the
Bill of Rights, namely to amend the letters patent by mirror-imaging
Article 39 of the Basic Law so that the Bill of Rights could be
safely entrenched by the letters patent before 1997 and by Article
39 of the Basic Law after 1997?
On consular protection, those people who got British
nationality are still Chinese nationals under the Chinese
Mationality Law and in the case of dual nationality, Britain has no
genuine and effective lien with those people because they have all
their friends and property bare, so how could Britain clain
diplomatic protection over them after 1997?
FORBIGI SECRETARY:
My understanding is that they would not have dual nationality
and that therefore would be entitled to consular protection.
That
is a matter of Chinese law but I believe that what I have said is
right.