XN000022-1985-01-23 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1985

NEW NATIONALITY TITLE APPROPRIATE. AG SATS

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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR MICHAEL THOMAS, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT HAVING CONSIDERED A NUMBER OF OPTIONS, IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT +BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS)+ WOULD BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE TITLE IN ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

HE WAS EXPLAINING TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THE CONSIDERATIONS WHICH HAD INFLUENCED THE CHOICE OF THE NEW NATIONALITY TITLE.

FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF MR THOMAS' STATEMENT:

*WITH YOUR PERMISSION, SIR, I WISH TO REPORT TO THE COUNCIL THAT THE HONG KONG BILL, WHICH WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT ON JANUARY 10, PASSED ITS SECOND READING IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON JANUARY 21.

+ IN OPENING THE SECOND READING DEBATE ON THE BILL, SIR. GEOFFREY HOWE REFERRED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION WHICH PROVIDED FOR BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS OF HONG KONG TO RETAIN AN APPROPRIATE STATUS WHICH WILL ENTITLE THEM TO CONTINUE TO USE PASSPORTS ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, SIR GEOFFREY SAID, AND I QUOTE:

+FOLLOWING CONSULTATIONS WITH THE HONG KONG EXECUTIVE

COUNCIL, IT IS INTENDED THAT THE TITLE OF THE NEW FORM OF NATIONALITY SHOULD BE 'BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS)'. IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY TO DEVISE A TITLE WHICH MEETS ALL THE NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS. ON THE ONE HAND IT NEEDS TO MAKE CLEAR THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH A FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY. NOTHING LESS THAN THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE IN HONG KONG. ON THE OTHER HAND IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE TITLE WE CHOOSE CAN CONTINUE TO BE USED AFTER 1997. FOR THIS TO BE POSSIBLE, THE TITLE MUST CLEARLY CARRY NO IMPLICATION OF A CONTINUING CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRITAIN AND HONG KONG AFTER 1997. I BELIEVE THAT THE TITLE WE HAVE CHOSEN MEETS THESE NEEDS. IT HAS NECESSARILY BEEN THE SUBJECT OF CAREFUL CONSULTATIONS WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. THE COMPLETION OF THESE CONSULTATIONS HAS ENABLED ME TO ANNOUNCE THE TITLE TO THE HOUSE TODAY. THERE SHOULD NOW BE ADEQUATE TIME TO EXPLAIN THE CHOICE OF THE NEW TITLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG,

+I WISH TO EXPLAIN TO THE COUNCIL THE CONSIDERATIONS WHICH HAVE INFLUENCED THE CHOICE OF TITLE. FIRST, THE MINISTER OF STATE, MR RICHARD LUCE, TOLD THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON DECEMBER 5, 1934 THAT THE STATUS TO BE ACQUIRED AND RETAINED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE UK MEMORANDUM WOULD BE A NEW FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY. THE TITLE MUST, THEREFORE, BE DIFFERENT FROM ANY OF THOSE CURRENTLY PROVIDED FOR IN THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981. THESE EXISTING TITLES ARE: BRITISH CITIZEN, BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN, BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZEN, BRITISH SUBJECT AND BRITISH PROTECTED PERSON.

/+SECONDLY, THE