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SECRET
22554
MDHIAN 5891
2. FOR EASE OF REFERENCE A REVISED VERSION OF YOUR SPEAKING NOTE, WHICH INCLUDES OUR SUGGESTIONS, IS REPRODUCED BELOW. IT ALSO INCLUDES SOME OTHER MINOR CHANGES TO YOUR PARAS 6 AND 9 WHICH DO NOT NEED ANY EXPLANATION.
SPEAKING NOTE BEGINS
''ON 20 DECEMBER SIR ALAN DONALD GAVE GUO FENGMIN A SUMMARY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT. HE EXPLAINED THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAD CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO TAKE ACTION TO STEM THE EMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG OF KEY PERSONNEL, AND SO FULFIL OUR COMMITMENT UNDER PARAGRAPH 4 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, TO PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF THE TERRITORY.
THE WORK OF FINALISING THE DETAILS OF THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION HAS NOW BEEN COMPLETED. THE BILL, WHICH WILL BECOME THE BRITISH NATIONALITY (HONG KONG) ACT 1990, WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON 4 APRIL.
THE ACT WILL GIVE THE HOME SECRETARY POWERS TO GRANT BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO UP TO 50,000 KEY PERSONNEL, ON THE BASIS OF RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE GOVERNOR AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCHEME. HE MAY ALSO GIVE BRITISH CITIZENSHIP TO THE SPOUSES AND
CHILDREN UNDER 18 OF THE PRINCIPAL BENEFICIARIES.
DISTRIBUTION
SELECTION WILL OPERATE IN TWO TRANCHES. ABOUT 86 PER CENT OF PLACES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT EARLY CONFIDENCE
CAN BE GIVEN TO KEY PERSONNEL WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE LEAVE. THE REMAINING 14 PER CENT WILL BE FOR DISTRIBUTION AT A LATER STAGE.
ELIGIBILITY
THOSE IN THE FOLLOWING GROUPS ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN HONG KONG WILL
BE ELIGIBLE :
-
BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS (BDTCS) WITH A CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG : BRITISH NATIONALS OVERSEAS (BNOS):
-
BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS, BRITISH PROTECTED PERSONS, AND BRITISH SUBJECTS (BOCS, BPPS AND BSS) WITHOUT CONDITIONS ON THEIR STAY IN