TNAG-0903-FCO40-1113-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 44

Cfinal at: H44 026/9

1. Copy for:

information only / Action on

Para(s)

HKK 340|1

RECENDS

RESTRICTED

T45)

RECORD OF A MEETING ON 15 NOVEMBER BETWEEN MRYCORTAZZI AND

A DELEGATION FROM THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE RECULL VE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS ( UMELCO) OF HONG KONG

Present

Mr HA H Cortazzi

Mr D F Murray

Mr W E Quantrill

Mr Oswald Cheung Mr Li Fook-Wo

Proposed changes in British Nationality Law

1.

集

Mr Cheung explained that he and Mr Li had come to London at this time to see the Minister of State at the Home Office, because they understood that a new draft Nationality Bill was about to be published. He had been reassured to learn that in fact no immediate action was contemplated and that it was unlikely that the Bill would be introduced in the current Parliamentary Session. The Home Office were thinking of first going through a further consultative stage, possibly by means of a White Paper. Mr Cheung has asked whether Hong Kong would be allowed to see the White Paper in draft: Mr Raison's reply had been discouraging.

2. On the question of what title might be used for colonial CUKC S under the new laws, Mr Raison had simply said that the proposals put forward by Hong Kong were still under consideration and that no decision had yet been reached. Mr Cheung had suggested an additional possibility: "British Subject, Citizen of Hong Kong". Mr Raison had said that this would be considered with the other suggestions.

3. Mr Cheung had also made the point to Mr Raison that it was important for Hong Kong CUKCS to be in a separate category from other overseas British citizens, to avoid the risk of their being caught up, as they had been in the past, in restrictive legislation aimed at curbing immigration abuses for which Hong Kong people were in no way responsible.

4.

Mr Cortazzi said that the Hong Kong case was now well understood in London. Sir Y K Kan had explained it to the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary; Mr Cheung and Mr Li had now made the case to Home Office Ministers. We in the FCO fully supported Hong Kong's position. We had to accept that there was strong pressure from both Conservative and Labour sides in Parliament for our Nationality legislation to be brought up-to-date. There was therefore no possibility of doing what we acknowledged would be the best thing from Hong Kong's point of view: simply leaving things as they are. But we had a moral and historic responsibility to ensure that, in any changes, Hong Kong's position was not jeopardised, particu-

We would larly in its delicately-balanced relationship with China. ensure that any White Paper that was drafted took full account of Hong Kong's interests.

RESTRICTED

/5.