TNAG-0903-FCO40-1113-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1979 — Page 94

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16 AUG 1979

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PM HONG KONG 1587422 AUG 79

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TO ROUTINE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TOLNO.1161 OF 15 AUGUST,

*

YOUR TELNO,635 NATIONALITY LAW.

ACCEPTANCE OF THE LOGIC OF THREE INSTEAD OF TWO CITIZENSHIPS IS A STEP FORWARD. BUT THE NAMES FOR CATEGORY (B) ARE DISASTROUS,

I AM FRANKLY WORRIED ABOUT THE REPERCUSSIONS HERE OF PROPOSALS

WHICH ARE NO HOPE THAN POLITICAL COSMETICS IN THE U.K.

THE ONLY SENSE IN WHICH RETENTION OF CUKC WOULD BE

**INACCURATE AND MISLEADING WOULD LIE IN THE CONFLICT BETWEEN

**CITIZENSHIP OF THE U.K.....'' FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE ON THE ONE

HAND AND ON THE OTHER THE REASSERTION IN THE PROPOSED NATIONALITY

LAW OF THE CONCEPT OF CITIZENSHIP CONFERRING AUTOMATIC RIGHTS OF

EMERY AND ABODE - EVEN THOUGH SUCH RICHTO HAVE NOT EXISTED FOR

HOMA KONG PEOPLE FOR A LONG TIME. HOWEVER UNDER THE NEW PROPOSALS

ANY POSSIBILITY OF MICUNDERSTANDING OR INACCURACY VOULD BE DISPOSED

OF BECAUSE A NEW ERITISH CITIZENSHIP** 13 CREATED WHICH IS, SY DEFINITION, THE ONLY CITIZENSHIP WHICH CONFERA RIGHTS OF CNTRY AND

ADOPE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. SO LONG AS THIS IS CLEARLY STATED

17 WOULD SURELY COVER THE HOME SECRETARY AGAINST ANY CRITICISM

OF HAVING REOPENED A DOOR WHICH WAS ALREADY CLOSED TO HONG KONG

PEOPLE.

3.

THE ONLY CATEGORY OF PERSONS WHOSE PRACTICAL DIGHTS AND

PRIVILEGES OF ENTRY AND ABODDE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND RELATION -

SHIPS WITH AND OBLIGATIONS TO THE UK REMAIN UNCHANGED BY THE

PROPOSED LAW ARE CUKCS, OPITISH CITIZENS ACQUIRE A NEW

EXCLUSIVITY OF ENTRY AND ABODE. FOR BRITISH OVERSEAS CITIZENS

ADCENCE OF OBLIGATIONG OR RIGHTS IN RESPECT OF THE UK IS MADE

CLEAR, BUT POK CUKCS THERE IS NO CHANGE AT ALL EITHER IN

GANUTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM, MRICH 19 18

NOT WEMKENED, OF THE ABSENCE OF NIGHT OF ENTPY AND ARODE WINCH

12 NOT RELAXED.

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