A
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4. During my familiarisation visit last month to
St Helena, the island's elected Legislative Council
argued forcefully that, in view of the proposal to grant
British citizenship to certain Hong Kong British Overseas
Territories Citizens, HMG should grant full British
citizenship, and the accompanying Right of Abode in the
UK, to all St Helenians. In support of their case, they
asked me on my return to submit to the Secretary of State
a petition in support of this request. The petition does
not ask for UK citizenship but restricts itself to a
right (presumably unrestricted) of entry to the UK. But
such freedom of entry is enjoyed only by those holding
British citizenship.
5. There is no question that the Councillors were
speaking for all their constituents. It is not an exageration to say that every St Helenian with whom I
held a substantive discussion during my 10 day visit
argued along identical lines.
6. I explained to the Legislative Council our position
on the usual lines and said that Ministers alone could
decide such issues. I said that while it would be wrong
for me to forecast such a decision, I felt bound to say
that, under the present circumstances, there was по
Likelihood of the request being granted. I added,
however, that officials recognised the strength of the St
Helenian case, and that the chances of the Legislative
Council arguing their cause successfully would be
significantly greater following the return of Hong Kong
to China in 1997.
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