TNAG-0903-FCO40-1113-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 67

CONFIDENTIAL

P Woodfield Esq

Deputy Under-Secretary of State

Home Office

Queen Anne's Gate SW1

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

23 October 1979

Dew Philip,

NATIONALITY BILL

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I was grateful for the very helpful memorandum that you sent me on 19 September as guidance for discussions with the Governor of Hong Kong on the question of nomenclature. I had a good discussion with Murray MacLehose and we then discussed the whole issue with the Minister of State, Mr Peter Blaker. Finally, Sir Y K Kan and Oswald Cheung, both of UMELCO, had breakfast with Mr Blaker and the Governor to put on record their anxiety that there should be no change in the existing title of CUKC for Hong Kong 'belongers'. As a result of all this the Governor undertook to Mr Blaker to take some informal soundings among the Unofficial Members of the Executive Council to establish the strength and feeling of what views there might be on alternative titles, on the assumption that a change must be made.

2.

The Governor has now reported the results of these soundings. First, he has confirmed that the Unofficial Members all attach great weight to securing a separate citizenship category for residents of dependencies. They regard this as more important than the actual nomenclature.

3.

Among titles, the following possibilities were seriously considered:-

(1) Citizen of the UK and Colonies (ie no change)

(2) Citizen of the UK and Colonies (Hong Kong)

(3) British Citizen (Hong Kong)

(4) British (Hong Kong) Citizen.

The Governor reported a strong preference for (1) or, if some change is thought to be essential, (2). (3) and (4) were regarded as less satisfactory but acceptable.

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Two further titles were also discussed:-

1) Citizen of UK Dependencies (Hong Kong); and

(2) Citizen of UK Colonies (Hong Kong).

CONFIDENTIAL

/However,

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