TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 133

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GRS 459

CONFIDENTIAL

TELELETTER

CONFIDENTIAL

Entin NAT how

HKCK 340|1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 2 1 MAR 1980

FROM R C FURSLAND, FED

12 MARCH 80

•

•FOLLOWING FOR KIM SULLIVAN, INDEXING PA

DESK OFFICER

PROPOSED CHANGE IN BRITISH ON A

REGISTRY [Action Take.

Aw

ገዝ

SEAW

1. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER UF 7 7 FEBRUARY

2. YOUR CONCERNS ARE WELL UNDERSTOOD HERE,

21203 - 1

Muldert

Mi Willingn

& 201

AND WILL BE TAKEN FULLY INTO ACCOUNT IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH

WE EXPECT TO PUT SHORTLY TO MINISTERS - ALTHOUGH, AS YOU

WILL APPRECIATE FROM EARLIER CORRESPONDENCE, WE ARE UNLIKELY TO

BE ABLE TO AFFORD YOU MORE THAN PARTIAL SATISFACTION. NO FINAL

DECISIONS HAVE YET BEEN TAKEN, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO ACCEPT

THAT, IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THE FACTS INVOLVED, THE WORDS 'UNITED KINGDOM' ARE UNLIKELY TO BE INCLUDED IN ANY TITLE FOR COLONIAL

BELONGERS.

3. HOWEVER, THE QUESTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE TITLE CAUSES

MORE CHINESE PROBLEMS THAN THE COLLECTIVE ONE. THE PROBLEM

WITH THE SUGGESTION YOU PROPOSE FOR PASSPORTS (AND IT

IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT PASSPORTS ARE ONLY ONE, ALBEIT

THE MOST SENSITIVE, FEATURE OF ADMINISTRATION FOR WHICH AN ADMINISTRATIVE TITLE IS REQUIRED, IS

?

THAT THIS WOULD SHOW WHERE THE PASSPORT WAS ISSUED RATHER THAN

WHERE THE HOLDER HAD CITIZENSHIP/RIGHT OF ABODE (SENTENCES 1 AND

2 OF YOUR THIRD PAKA). AS FOR YOUR FURTHER SUGGESTION, OF AN

ENDORSEMENT ON PAGE 5 THAT HOLDER HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN

HONG KONG ETC' AS YOU KNOW UNDER THE PROPOSED NATIONALITY

LAW THE CONCEPT OF PATRIALITY IS TO BE REPLACED BY THE CONCEPT

OF CITIZENSHIP, AND RIGHTS OF ABODE' STAMPS WILL NO LONGER BE

REQUIRED, OR APPROPRIATE. UNLESS THERE IS A FULL DEFINITION

UNDER 'NATIONAL STATUS' OF THE HOLDER'S CITIZENSHIP, THERE WOULD

BE NO WAY OF KNOWING EG WHERE A PROSPECTIVE DEPORTEE SHOULD BE

DEPORTED TO.

THE SEPARATE QUESTION WHICH YOU MENTION, THE PROPOSAL FOR A

1

CONFIDENTIAL