TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 148

Mr Jones

CONFIDENTIAL

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HKCK 340||

RECEIVED IN KUS SIPY NO. 51 1 1 MAR 1980

DESK

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

28

Nationality and Treaty Department

1

NATIONALITY LAW

23A

Мо

Js.3

AN 21/3

1. In Hong Kong telegram No 293 I reported the Governor's views on the draft telegram which you wrote after Mr Cortazzi's meeting on 15 February. There is not a great deal to add. I attach a copy of the draft on which Mr Davies, Secretary for Security in Hong Kong, has made some pencilled comments. My own view on this is that those on paragraph 5 are reasonable but that on paragraph 6 I would have thought that we and Peking had already made it clear why a separate citizenship for Hong Kong would be undesirable.

2.

I suggest that the next step should be for an agreed submission to go to Ministers covering a draft telegram to Hong Kong. The Governor made it clear that his chances of getting a successful reaction out of EXCO would be much greater if he could tell them that Ministers, including the Secretary of State, had considered their representations.

3. From the Hong Kong angle the submission should include the following points:

:

a) Feeling on the subject among Unofficial Members of both

EXCO and LEGCO continues to be strong;

b) Although the achievement of the third category is an

important step forward, they do set store by making the change in nomenclature as small as possible;

c) They would prefer

the retention of CUKC. We do not recommend this.

d) We should however be prepared to argue with the Home Office for sensible modifications which will go some way to meet Hong Kong's concerns. The alternative proposed by the Governor involving the use of "Citizen of the UK Colonies" could be tried but is not likely to be accepted. The retention of "British Subject" might be more successful.

4. I suggest that, since we want to get the Secretary of State's own agreement to the line, the telegram should be drafted in the first person.

5.

I would be glad to discuss this when you are ready.

5 March 1980

CONFIDENTIAL

R D Clift

Hong Kong and General Department

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