TNAG-0800-FCO40-1004-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-Nationality-1978 — Page 59

CONFIDENTAL

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IMMEDIATE

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FM HONG KONG 200507Z

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TO IMMEDIATE F.C.O TELNO.194 OF 20 FEBRUARY 78,

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON,

PRIORITY: PEKING.

FOLLOWING FOR STEWART, HKGD, FROM DAVIES.

1. PLEASE SEE M.1.F.T WHICH CONTAINS THE FULL TEXT OF AN ARTICLE

IN THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST THIS (20TH FEB) MORNING.

2. WE ARE, AS YOU KNOW, DRAFTING FORMAL REPRESENTATIONS TO H.M.G ON THE PROPOSALS IN THE GREEN PAPER ON BRITISH NATIONALITY LAW THAT HONG KONG CUKC'S SHOULD IN FUTURE BE KNOWN AS BRITISH

OVERSEAS CITIZENS.

3. THE CONTENT OF THE S.C.M.P ARTICLE CONTAINS STATEMENTS ON

WHICH WE NEED CONFIRMATION WHETHER THEY CAME FROM SOME F.C.O COMMENT OR RELEASE. COULD YOU THEREFORE LET US KNOW WHAT, IF ANY, STATEMENT OR COMMENT WAS MADE BY THE F.C.O. IN PARTICULAR,

IS THERE ANY TRUTH IN THE STATEMENT THAT THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSALS WHICH CAUSE CONTROVERSY IN HONG KONG WOULD BE LARGELY REWRITTEN

AND RESHAPED?

4. IN ADDITION OUR POLITICAL ADVISER HAS POINTED OUT THAT IT IS NOT STRICTLY CORRECT THAT THE CHINESE HAVE ''REPEATEDLY STRESSED'' THAT 1997 IS ''MEANINGLESS AND IRRELEVANT''. RATHER THEY HAVE DEVISED A FORMULA ABOUT ONLY DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM "'WHEN CONDITIONS ARE RIPE'' TO OBSCURE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ANY DATE.

/IF THERE IS

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