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CONFIDENTIAL
responsibility for Hong Kong, on becoming a member of the enlarged Community. This could take the form cither of a statement in Parliament, or of a formal declaration annexed to the Instruments on British Accession. The important thing was that there should be a public statement. The Hong Kong del-gation expressed a preference for a declaration which covered all dependent territories attached to the Instruments
of ecession.
27. This subject was raised again with Ir. Rippon during his recent visit to Hong Kong. There are undoubted advantages, not least in terms of public relations in HLG issuing such a declaration following enlargement of the Community. If therefore Hong Kong officials raise this, the British side might take the line that, while it is still under consideration, we are inclined to recommend it as a course of action to
inisters.
Immigration
28. The Hong Kong officials may raise the question of how Hong Kong immigrants into the UK, covered at present by the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, would be affected by our entry into the Community. The question of Commonwealth immigration into the UK after our entry is a complex one in which several issues, including that of nationality will need to be clarified in the course of negotiations. It is true to say that we hope to persuade the Community that our entry should not affect our Commonwealth Immigration Lules for employment in the UK. Although present Community regulations provide for an 18 day priority in allotting jobs to 30 nationals in 11C member states' labour markets over nationals from other countries, the position of Commonwealth immigrants may be helped by another regulation, that his rule of priority does not affect the obligations of member states arising out of special relations or existing or future agreements with certain non- Juropean countries or teritories based on institutional ties. Our aim in negotiations will be to secure the Community's agreement that those Commonwealth citizens whom we admit (or have admitted) to this country for the purpose of employment,
/should
CONFIDENTIAL
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