TNAG-0903-FCO40-1113-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 92

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CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENHAL

FM PORT STANLEY 151082Z AUG 79

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 150 OF 15 AUGUST

E

HKK 3uoli

RECEIVED IN REGISTY NO. 51

16 AUG 1979

DELL OFFICER

RE

PA

Acrop Tuke-

624

INDEX

YOUR TELNOS 51, 52 AND 53 TO ANGUILLA: NATIONALITY LAW: FALKLAND ISLANDS

1.

P4

BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE POLITICAL SITUATION REGARDING THESE ISLANDS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO GIVE A CLEAR-CUT ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THE FALKLAND ISLANDERS' VIEW MIGHT BE ON THESE LATEST PROPOSALS. AS YOU WILL KNOW, A MEMORANDUM WAS RECENTLY SUBMITTED, FOLLOWING A MOTION P THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHICH MADE THE ISLANDERS CASE FOR THE GRANT OF FULL BRITISH NATIONALITY. THEY CONSIDER THIS TO BE THE ONLY SURE WAY OF SECURING RIGHTS OF ENTRY AND APODE IN THE UK WHICH, 14 THEIR PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY FEEL IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THEM

TO HAVE. THE POPULATION OF THE ISLANDS BEING SMALL, THE POTENTIAL INFLOW INTO THE UK WOULD BE COMPARATIVELY INSIGNIFICANT, AND A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF THE ISLANDERS WOULD ANYWAY QUALIFY FOR

FULL CITIZENSHIP UNDER THE PROPOSED TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS,

MAKING FOR AN INVIDIOUS DISTINCTION BETWEEN THEM AND THE OTHERS. THE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PROBLEM OF THE ETHNIC CHINESE RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG, FOR EXAMPLE, OUGHT NOT, THEY FEEL, INFLUENCE THEIR OWN POSITION, WHICH IS THAT OF A PEOPLE ALMOST ENTIRELY BRITISH BY ORIGIN AND DESCENT, WHOSE HOMELAND IS UNDER CLAIM BY THEIR FOREIGN NEIGH-

BOURS,

3

2. THEY MADE A STRONG ISSUE OF THIS MATTER DURING THEIR DISCUSSIONS

WITH THE MINISTER OF STATE ON HIS RECENT VISIT. AFTER POINTING CUT THE DIFFICULTIES THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FACED, OVERALL, MR RIDLEY UNDERTOOK, WITHOUT COMMITYENT, TO DISCUSS WITH HIS MINISTERIAL

COLLEAGUES THE POSSIBILITY OF FINDING SOME SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENT WHICH MIGHT MEET THE ISLANDERS CASE, PERHAPS AS AN EXCEPTION TO BE ALLOYED UNDER AN ENABLING CLAUSE IN THE NEW NATION-

ALITY LAW.

HP FIGHTS OF ENTRY AND ABODE COULD BE SECURED THE PRECISE

DIVISION IN CITIZENSHIP WOULD THEREFORE BE OF LESS CONCERN TO THE

/ISLANDERS.

é CNFIDEN MAL