TNAG-0902-FCO40-1112-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 44

CONFIDENTIAL

Mr Jones

Nationality and Treaty Department

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RECEIVED IN KA? ON 90. GI 1006118/0

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NEW NATIONALITY LEGISLATION: DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

CONSULTATION WITH

OSA

1. Thank you for your minute of 1 October. I agree that the best we can hope for is to be able to send Governors a summary of the main points of the proposed Bill. But, while I see the advantage of doing this as soon as possible, there is surely no point in doing so until we are reasonably sure of what the Bill is going to contain - including on the contentious points of nomenclature and transmission of citizenship. Indeed, it would be very unfortunate if we were to claim to be consulting Governors on the main points of the proposed draft Bill, only for them to find out when the draft is finally published that it is substantially different from what we had led them to expect.

2.

I believe that in any case the telegram to Hong Kong will need to be somewhat different from the standard draft attached with your minute. I attach a possible draft of the sort of telegram I believe would be needed for Hong Kong: the third paragraph would, of course, need to be modified to take account of whatever is finally decided on the two points referred to. This telegram would then be followed by a second containing only the summary of the draft Billie on the lines of your second telegram but without the opening paragraph.

10 October 1979

W.E. Chantill

WE Quantrill

Hong Kong and General Department

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SAMD

M&CD

WIAD

SPD M&VD

CONFIDENTIAL